


An Unforseen Circumstance

by Nomme_dePlume



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Assassination Plot(s), Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Clan dealings, Coming Out, F/M, Family, Friendship, Language, M/M, Mention of torture, Minor Character Death, Multiple Love Confessions, Samurai, Slow Burn, mention of rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-22 16:34:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 73,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14312760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nomme_dePlume/pseuds/Nomme_dePlume
Summary: It seemed to be a mission to send an ambassador to the Land of Iron a little over a decade ago, with strict instructions that the shinobi would not return unless personally summoned by the Hokage. This was no pay-for-service mission, but one penned and signed by the Sandaime himself, and it only contained his signature and the signature of the shinobi assigned to the mission, which meant that the council and clans had no idea about this mission.The pieces clicked.Sandaime had sent someone from the village without telling the clan heads, the Elders, or Danzou, and the scroll had been sealed and hidden so that those peoplenever found out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I usually put notes at the end, but this story needs some preamble:
> 
> This story is mostly for myself, because the idea is in my head and won't leave me alone. It involves an original female character, who is the driving force of the events, but the story is never from her point of view. It kind of chronicles how others react and grow from interactions with her. Maybe. The whole idea may or may not stem from one scene between her and Kakashi that I find rather entertaining. Additional relationships, characters, and tags will be added as I go, and you may or may not notice some heavy references to _Rurouni Kenshin_. Oh, and I may change the title.
> 
> All that being said, if you decide to read on, I hope you enjoy and look forward to your feedback!

Kakashi sighed yet again as he moved one dusty, fragile scroll from the shelving unit in front of him to one to his left. How he, the Hokage, had been roped into doing such a menial task, he couldn’t quite figure out, but he was convinced it had something to do with Sakura’s maniacal smile and Shikamaru’s tactical strategies. He’d be a little upset by it all if it didn’t make him the slightest bit proud.

Still, there had to be some sort of rule that the Hokage didn’t have to do things like rearrange the scrolls in the Hokage’s library, despite the fact that there probably was some sort of rule that no one _but_ the Hokage should ever have access to the scrolls in the Hokage’s library. Of course, it had been a very long time since Kakashi was a stickler for the rules.

He sighed again as he moved a few more scrolls. Even if it was entirely boring and, he was almost sorry to believe, a little beneath him, he did kind of feel it was a better way to spend his time than signing his name on scroll after scroll until his eyes crossed, his sight blurred, and he collapsed on his desk head first.

There were days when he wished he’d never promised Obito that he would be Hokage.

(Then he would remember that he never actually _had_ promised Obito he would be Hokage and that he had walked into this paperwork hell of his own free will. Sort of.)

Eventually, all the scrolls on the shelves in front of him were moved elsewhere, leaving the shelving unit bare and able to be moved into his office. Dusting off his hands and pulling some chakra into his arms, Kakashi moved forward to lift the large piece of furniture. But as he began to pull it away from the wall, he heard the unmistakable sound of stone moving, so he set the shelving unit down and moved around it to study the stone floor.

Even in the dim lighting, Kakashi was able to discern that one of the stones was loose, and he bent down to feel along the edges. They were smooth, indicating that the mortar had been sliced – either by blade or chakra – rather than the mortar eroding away and cracking with age. Frowning slightly in thought, he pried the stone up, not knowing what he would find, but certainly not expecting the black, sealed box that sat within the floor.

This boggled Kakashi. The was the _Hokage’s_ library. One had to get through three sealed doors and ANBU to even get in the room; _why_ would there be the need for a sealed box hidden in the floor? What could possibly be in the box?

“Hokage-sama,” one of his ANBU suddenly said behind him.

“Yes?” he asked, still turning the box over in his hands, examining it from all angles for trap jutsu.

“The clan heads have assembled in your office… along with the… Elders.”

Kakashi looked up at that, the box momentarily forgotten because _that_ certainly didn’t sound good. Huffing out yet another sigh, for an entirely different reason, Kakashi shoved the box under his arm and left the library, allowing the door to close and seal behind him, followed by the other two doors. The ANBU followed him to his office, where two more ANBU stood at attention; they opened his door for him, and Kakashi walked in to be greeted by a lot of grim faces, save Shikamaru and Ino’s. They both had to become clan heads after the war, and while Shikamaru had his usual lazy scowl, Ino was trying to smile at him, but it only came across as nervous.

Kakashi sauntered to his desk and set the black box down on the surface, his air carefree, though he was on high alert for anyone who knew him well. “To what do I owe this distinguished gathering?” Instead of sitting in his chair, he sat on the corner of the desk, crossing one leg over the other and his arms across his chest.

Hyuuga Hiashi stepped forward and bowed slightly. “Hokage-sama, we have been informed that you have received a missive from Uchiha Sasuke that he will be returning to the village within the month.”

Kakashi rose one brow in query, wondering what little birdie could have possibly spread that information to the clan heads. But it wasn’t exactly a secret that Sasuke was coming home, him being cleared of charges and everything, so he wouldn’t spend too much time wondering about it.

“And?”

Hiashi cleared his throat quietly. “We are all very aware of Uchiha’s status; we cleared him of charges ourselves at the urging of yourself and the petitions of Uzumaki Naruto, among others. But while his loyalty may not technically be in question, the clans have deemed it a good idea to solidify the Uchiha’s ties to the village.”

Kakashi had a feeling he knew where this was going. “And what is your proposal?” he asked quietly.

Before Hiashi could answer, Homura and Koharu stepped forward, their heads bowed slightly. “Uchiha Sasuke should be married to an eligible young woman and begin rebuilding the Uchiha clan,” Homura said gruffly.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and said, “Unless I dreamed it, I remember removing you two from the council due to the last _plans_ you had for the Uchiha clan. I’m not inclined to entertain your ideas for a _new_ Uchiha clan.”

Homura and Koharu visibly stiffened, stepping back with severe frowns on their faces, but Hiashi quickly stepped forward. “It may have been their idea, Hokage-sama, but all the clan heads agree with this. Having Uchiha tied by family to the village should ensure loyalty.”

Kakashi refrained from asking how that had worked out for Itachi, instead sweeping his eyes over the rest of the clan heads present. Shikamaru and Ino avoided his eyes, but the others stared at him openly, some even nodding their agreement with Hiashi.

He let out a small huff. “Be that as it may, Sasuke is by all rights a clan head himself. While your collective agreement may override my authority in some cases, it cannot be used against another clan head without his consent.”

“But you can add it to the conditions of his probation, Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi was dangerously close to losing his temper. “Adding conditions to the probation after the fact could be seen as forcing his hand. Terms of probation are to be agreed upon prior to release to ensure that a prisoner knows all conditions of freedom upfront and can make an appropriate decision at their own discretion. Turning around a year later and saying, ‘Oh, you also have to marry someone and sire children or else be imprisoned again,’ is not exactly fair.”

No one had anything to say to that.

After a moment, Shikamaru let out a large huff of breath. “Hokage-sama has a point. And forcing Uchiha to do this will only paint the clan heads in the same light as the previous council.” He pointedly ignored the Elders as he said this. “But we can offer it as a suggestion to him, that we strongly encourage it, and he will undoubtedly read it as an exercise of trust – meaning, it will be a further act on his part that will prove that our trust is well-placed.”

“So, Hokage-sama, you will arrange a formal meeting when he returns, yes?” Hiashi asked.

They had him cornered, and they knew it. Even if he said no, the clan heads could override him on this, as it more or less pertained to the safety and prosperity of the village. Standing up and moving around his desk to sit, he finally replied, “Fine. Now leave.” The group bowed and began to file out. “Not you two,” he said to Shikamaru and Ino as he reached for some parchment to begin a message.

They stopped their retreat and turned to face his desk. Kakashi continued to write until the last person was gone and his guards had closed the door. At the soft click, Kakashi threw his brush down and leaned back with a tired, loud, and angry sigh.

“Please don’t tell me that you two are actually on board with this idea.”

They were both quiet for a moment before Ino spoke up. “Not per se, but…” She paused before looking helplessly at Kakashi. “I speak not for myself, Hokage-sama, but for the clan. Sasuke-kun having ties to the village will go a long way to easing the discomfort in the clan at having him back.”

“And his current _ties_ ,” he said with as much derision that he could muster, which wasn’t much, “Are they insufficient?”

Shikamaru sighed. “You know as well as we do that Uchiha has one tie, and that’s Naruto. You also know that it’s just common sense that the gatekeeper and the key master not be the same person.” Kakashi blinked at that. Shikamaru glared slightly. “Uchiha’s loyalty can’t begin and end with Naruto.”

Kakashi wasn’t entirely inclined to believe that, but he knew when to pick his battles. “All right, I think I’m done with this particular topic for now. You may leave.” Ino murmured her goodbyes, but Shikamaru stayed. Kakashi raised his brow in question.

“What’s this black box?”

Kakashi _also_ wasn’t inclined to share this with Shikamaru, since Shikamaru hadn’t seen fit to give him a little heads up about this thing with Sasuke. It may be petty, but Kakashi felt little compunction about it.

“Oh, nothing,” Kakashi said. Shikamaru said nothing, and he turned and left the office. Kakashi stared at the door for several minutes, wondering exactly how long it would take for Sasuke to completely lose his cool when this _suggestion_ was laid before him and how many times Naruto would look at him in disappointment when he found out about it.

But Kakashi didn’t want to think about it any more today. He did want to send Sasuke some sort of warning, but that could blow up in his face and end in Sasuke not coming home at all. And then Naruto would still look at him in disappointment.

Sighing for the umpteenth time today, Kakashi let his eyes stray to the papers on his desk before settling on the black box. That would be an excellent way of _not_ thinking about the Uchiha problem right now. He reached for it and looked it over again, quickly ascertaining that the only seal was a kage-class jutsu that he could easily remove. Of course, that in itself probably should have been cause for concern; there weren’t that many reasons why something would be sealed so that only a Kage could open it, and none of those reasons were ever good.

After flowing through the signs to release the seal, the lid of the black box sprung open, and Kakashi peered inside cautiously, only to find what looked to be an old mission scroll. He reached in and gingerly brought it out, unfurling it to read the contents.

It seemed to be a mission to send an ambassador to the Land of Iron a little over a decade ago, with strict instructions that the shinobi would not return unless personally summoned by the Hokage. This was no pay-for-service mission, but one penned and signed by the Sandaime himself, and it only contained his signature and the signature of the shinobi assigned to the mission, which meant that the council and clans had no idea about this mission. 

The pieces clicked. 

Sandaime had sent someone from the village without telling the clan heads, the Elders, or Danzou, and the scroll had been sealed and hidden so that those people _never found out_.

It couldn’t have anything to do with Itachi’s mission, as this was handed out about three years before the massacre. Kakashi, eyes wide, hurried to the end of the document to find out who had been sent on this mission, and the breath stalled in his lungs.

The name was familiar, for several reasons, but Kakashi had no time to reminisce. He had to find out if she was still there!

Reaching for a blank piece of parchment and his brush, Kakashi furiously wrote a message to General Mifune that he would get to the hawks as soon as he resealed the mission scroll. Once the scroll was resealed inside the black box, and the black box shoved into one of his desk drawers, Kakashi practically ran to the aviary and demanded their fastest hawk. He placed the message in the tube himself and sent the hawk, his breathing slightly labored from more than the run.

He had jinxed himself, it seemed. It looked like the Uchiha problem would be the only thing he’d think about for the next several days.

~*~

Something was wrong.

Naruto stared down the main street of Konoha that led to the gates, his brows drawn down in a thoughtful frown as he wondered what could have happened. He sensed no danger, but he felt something wrong nonetheless.

Sasuke had sent Kakashi a message a month ago that he was finally coming home from his journey of redemption, and Naruto had hardly been able to contain his excitement. And when he felt Sasuke’s chakra in the forests outside the gate two days ago, he’d become unbearably anxious, fidgeting nonstop and annoying his friends to no end with his distracted state.

But Sasuke had never come into the village. He was still out there, Naruto could feel him, but he seemed… hesitant to pass through the gates. Naruto was torn between letting Sasuke be and going out to see why he was waiting. This should be Sasuke’s decision, the decision to return, to willingly walk into the regimen of village life after so long gone, but Naruto just _had_ to know what reservations kept Sasuke just outside the village.

So, biting his lower lip briefly as he contemplated his decision one last time, he flickered out of sight from the main street and materialized in the forest, just a few clicks from Sasuke’s location. He felt a brief flare of chakra, so slight that anyone not attuned to it as he was would miss it and knew it for the invitation it was.

He jumped into the trees and quickly found the clearing where Sasuke had made camp. He landed on the leaf-strewn ground and found Sasuke standing, his hand on his hip, facing Naruto with a small smirk on his face. His cloak was travel-stained, covering the side where his other arm used to be. His hair was longer, his once gravity-defying locks now straight and covering his Rinnegan. 

Naruto didn’t know what it was that he felt upon first sight of Sasuke in a year, but it was something much _more_ than happy. He glossed over it and grinned.

“Bastard!” he greeted cheerily, walking forward and throwing an arm around Sasuke’s neck in a brief hug. He let go quickly, knowing it probably made Sasuke uncomfortable, and stepped back.

“Idiot,” Sasuke returned softly before turning his attention to the small scroll in his hand that Naruto had missed, his small smile dropping into a slight frown.

“What’s wrong, Sasuke?” Naruto asked, his lips turned down in his own frown. “Why have you been out here for days?” He looked closer at the scroll in Sasuke’s hands. “What’s that?”

“It seems the Elders aren’t quite done with me.” He rolled the scroll up and placed it in his bag before sitting down on the ground. Naruto joined him.

“What do you mean?”

“Kakashi sent me a message a few weeks ago. It seems the Elders have convinced the clan heads that, as a former missing-nin, I need a leash once I return to Konoha.”

Naruto’s heart beat frantically at the implications. Sasuke couldn’t possibly be going back to prison! He swallowed. “What kind of leash?”

Sasuke met Naruto’s eyes as he smirked, though Naruto saw it was by no means any kind of smirk he’d been treated to before: it seemed rather self-deprecating than anything, and Naruto wanted it gone.

“They want me to get married, probably to a girl of their choice, and produce Uchiha heirs.”

It took Naruto a few seconds, but Sasuke’s words finally settled into his brain, and he squawked indignantly, “What?!”

“I’ve just been taking a little bit to determine what my response will be,” Sasuke continued as if Naruto hadn’t just exploded in confused indignation of his behalf.

This caused Naruto to actually pause before delving into a blistering rant about where the Elders could shove their ideas. “Your response?” he asked.

“It’s obvious that I have no choice in this matter, Naruto. But I won’t just let them dictate my life like this. If I must get married, then it will be to a girl of my choosing. Or something.”

Something cold and dark washed over Naruto at the words, and it was confusing, as he wasn’t quite sure what caused it or what it meant, though he ultimately pinned it on people trying to manipulate Sasuke once again. 

“Is there,” Naruto paused and licked his lips. “Is there someone you have in mind, someone you like?”

Sasuke’s lips pressed together, and his eyes flitted briefly to the side. “No.”

“So, what? You’re just going to marry someone and hope it works out?” Naruto wasn’t sure why it made him so angry, since it really wasn’t any of his business, but he really wanted to know what Sasuke was thinking.

“Hn.”

“Oh, no,” Naruto growled as he reached a hand out and grasped Sasuke’s shoulder, pushing slightly to get Sasuke to look him in the eye. “Tell me what you’re thinking, bastard. Let me in. Let me help! Or else,” he paused, frowning slightly and lowering his voice. “Or else everything we went through a year ago would be… meaningless.”

He felt and heard the sharp intake of breath from Sasuke, and he waited patiently as the other frowned, glared at the ground, and – hopefully – tried to gather his thoughts. He realized that his hand was still on Sasuke’s shoulder, and he slowly – reluctantly, he also realized – pulled his hand away and let it fall into the open space between his legs.

“I don’t,” Sasuke started softly. “I don’t _want_ to do this, but I don’t see any way out of it.”

Naruto nodded. “What about Kakashi-sensei? He can’t really be okay with this.”

Sasuke shook his head. “He says he’s working on a way to stop it, but there’s little he can do if all the clans are united.”

“What?” Naruto asked in disbelief, as Sasuke’s words finally sunk in. “Are you telling me Ino and Shikamaru are _on board_ with this?”

“Apparently.” Sasuke inhaled sharply and sat up straighter. “Enough. While I’m… grateful not to be in prison, I always knew I’d have to pay some sort of price for my actions.”

Naruto pressed his lips together, forgoing the rant he wanted to spout not only about the clans and their stupid idea, but also about Sasuke’s continued attitude about what had happened. For all intents and purposes being _tricked_ into killing one’s own brother… Naruto felt that Sasuke had more than paid for his poor decisions.

“Sasuke,” he said lowly, seriously. “You know I’ll help you, right? If this isn’t what you want, I’ll stop at nothing to keep it from happening.”

Sasuke snapped his head up and around, his lone black eye staring at Naruto incredulously before his lashes fluttered to hide his surprise and whatever other emotion Naruto’s declaration may have elicited. “I know,” he replied quietly. An awkward, but not tense, silence passed between them for a moment before Sasuke continued, a playful smirk pulling at his lips, “I guess it pays to be friends with the village hero.”

“Ha!” Naruto laughed brightly, grateful for the slight change in subject. “Well, this seems like the perfect way to use my clout.”

“I didn’t know you knew that word, idiot.”

“Fuck you, bastard!” Naruto laughed again, hitting Sasuke on the shoulder. He stood and looked down at his friend with a bright smile. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

“Hn.” Sasuke stood gracefully, grabbing his pack from the ground and slinging it over his shoulder. “All right.”

Naruto stood frozen for a second, staring at Sasuke’s small smile and marveling at the ease with which Sasuke agreed to return to the village. Something warm enveloped him, inside and out, and in fear of blushing, he quickly turned from Sasuke and began the small trek back to the village gates.

Sasuke walked behind him for a few steps before lengthening his strides to walk at Naruto’s side, and they walked in companionable silence as they came upon the village gates. Izumo and Kotetsu greeted them lazily, not even blinking twice at Sasuke’s return to the village. Not that their reaction was a barometer to measure _everyone’s_ reaction, but it seemed to unwind something inside Naruto that he hadn’t realized was wound.

He laughed quietly at himself. What had he been expecting? That people would glare and throw things at Sasuke? Maybe not everyone knew what had happened to Sasuke’s family, maybe everyone knew what Sasuke did with Taka and the Akatsuki, but what everyone _also_ knew was that Sasuke had joined the war, had helped stop Obito, then Madara, then Kaguya (okay, maybe not everyone knew about Kaguya, but still…!), and that can’t be overlooked, saving the world and everything.

“What?” Sasuke asked quietly, catching his laughter, as soft as it had been.

“Nothing, just… really glad you’re home.”

Sasuke didn’t actually _say_ anything to that, but Naruto knew a “hn” when he heard one. Or didn’t hear one. Whatever.

They continued down the road in silence again, but as they meandered closer to the more populated areas of the main street, they saw Sakura jogging slightly to meet them, an excited and genuine smile on her face. She came to a stop before them, and Naruto knew she was physically keeping herself from hugging Sasuke.

“Sasuke-kun, welcome home!” she said brightly, a light blush painting her cheeks. Naruto watched Sasuke return a slight smile.

“Thank you, Sakura.” Sasuke moved forward to continue his trek to, Naruto assumed, the Hokage tower, and Sakura got into line on his other side, continuing with him and Naruto.

“Are you going to see Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura asked, her fingers clasped together behind her back.

“Yes,” he answered, but offered nothing else. Naruto watched Sakura frown just a little. As the tower came in sight, Sasuke slowed down and cut a look at Naruto as he spoke to Sakura, “I have to speak to Kakashi alone. If you’ll excuse me.” He bowed slightly to her and then walked off without them. Sakura looked as if she wanted to ask him why, but Naruto already knew, so he wasn’t helping her in that department.

“I’m sure he’ll hang out with us when he’s done, Sakura-chan,” he said, throwing her a grin. “Want to get ramen while we wait?”

She sighed in exasperation but returned his grin. “Why not?” They walked to Ichiraku, chatting about nonsense, both avoiding talking about Sasuke, Naruto noticed. They walked into the bar and took their seats. Ayame flashed them both smiles and didn’t even need to ask what they wanted before it was being cooked.

His ramen was placed in front of him, and he dug in quickly. Between slurps, he eyed Sakura as she calmly ate her ramen, noticing the slight furrow between her brows. He set his bowl down. “Something wrong, Sakura-chan?”

She looked over at him, biting her bottom lip in thought a moment before sighing and setting her chopsticks down. “You didn’t ask Sasuke-kun what he needed to discuss with Kakashi-sensei.”

Naruto frowned. “And?”

“You already know. If you didn’t, you would have been bothering him about what it was, right?”

He couldn’t exactly refute that. “I don’t follow, Sakura-chan.”

She sighed again, looking away from him and shaking her head slightly. “It’s nothing, really, Naruto. It was just… you two are still so close, and I’m… still on the outside looking in sometimes.”

“We’ve been through a lot together, trust each other; we can talk to each other now, about a lot of things,” he said without thought.

“And Sasuke-kun doesn’t trust me,” she said quietly.

“Ah, no! Sakura-chan, I didn’t mean to-”

She waved him quiet. “No, I know, Naruto. You always believed in Sasuke-kun, never doubted him, so it makes sense that he would trust you more than anyone else.”

Naruto didn’t know why, but those words made him feel warm inside, which made him embarrassed, so he looked away, down into his ramen bowl. Sakura continued.

“It’s about what the clan heads want to do, right?” Naruto looked at her, wide-eyed. “Ino was really upset about it, so she ended up venting to me.” She slid her fingers lightly atop the counter. “You think it’s a bad idea?” she asked quietly.

Naruto blinked, his surprise slowly replaced by confusion, then burgeoning anger. “You don’t? Sakura-chan! They can’t just do that to him, force him to marry someone like that. Someone he doesn’t even love!”

“Shinobi marriages aren’t always about love, Naruto.” She paused, and Naruto was nearly about to blow his top at her when she added, “You don’t think Sasuke-kun might come to love his wife?”

Naruto was about to scream at her that she was putting words in his mouth, that her even suggesting that she supported having Sasuke’s freedom taken from him in that way was so fucked up, but he stopped when he realized that… _she_ wanted to be in the running for Sasuke’s wife. She might already _be_ in the running. Sakura wasn’t from a shinobi family, but she was a strong kunoichi, had been trained by the Godaime, and had helped stop Kaguya; she would be an easy choice for rebuilding the Uchiha clan.

Being married to Sasuke was Sakura’s _dream_. So, what did that make him, who vowed he would help Sasuke from being forced to marry anyone? If the clan heads did choose Sakura, he would be actively trying to crush her dream…

He swallowed, his eyes suddenly a little teary. He looked away from her.

… And he didn’t care, because he would do anything to make sure Sasuke was happy.

“Naruto?”

Naruto looked at her again and took a deep breath, trying to be careful with his words. “I think, Sakura-chan, that Sasuke is the type of person to resent anyone and anything, even another victim of the Elders’ schemes. Especially a willing victim.” Someone who willingly went along with the Elders because she wanted Sasuke to herself, was what he hoped that conveyed to her.

And maybe she got it, because her brows furrowed in thought, a small frown on her face as she stared into her broth. “I get what you’re saying, Naruto,” she said, her words shaded in slight hurt. “But I love him,” she whispered desperately.

Naruto hunched his shoulders in discomfort as Sakura swung her watery green eyes his way. He swallowed again. “I don’t know much about love, Sakura-chan, but I imagine it involves doing something that makes the other happy, even if it doesn’t end up good for you.”

“You don’t think being with me will make him happy?” she asked defensively; Naruto could tell she was starting to get angry, which only served to make him angry, too.

“I think it has to be his choice to be with you, Sakura!” he yelled, startling Ayame behind the counter. He clicked his tongue and stood from his chair, reaching into his pocket for his frog purse. “If you force Sasuke to be with you, Sakura, no one is going to be happy, least of all you.” He threw money on the counter to cover both his and Sakura’s food and stormed off.

He made his way to an empty training ground, feeling the need to blow shit up and tear everything apart. His conversation with Sakura played repeatedly in his head as he released jutsu after jutsu into the defenseless terrain. And it wasn’t until he’d cleared out a significant number of trees that he realized just why he was so angry.

If Sakura forced Sasuke to be with her, no one would be happy, least of all _Naruto_. And it wasn’t just Sakura; Naruto couldn’t stand the idea of anyone with Sasuke. But rather than being angry at the Elders’ plot – and he was that, for sure – he was startled to find that he was mad that they were trying to take Sasuke away from him.

He was _jealous_ , of all things, and it made him uncomfortable. What did it mean? He wasn’t quite sure, but he thought that somehow, maybe, these feelings were wrong. Like, he wasn’t supposed to be having these feelings. For Sasuke. Whatever these feelings were.

Naruto let loose a barrage of rasengan and tried not to think about it anymore.

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke made his way down the street, leaving Naruto and Sakura behind to do… whatever it was that they did without him. He let a small smirk play at his lips as he imagined it had something to do with ramen. When did it not involve ramen with that idiot?

He stopped as a ball bounced into his path. He bent to pick it up, and as he rose, two small boys ran up to him, an old lady ambling up behind them. He handed the ball back.

“What do you say?” the old lady asked the boys.

They bowed as they said, “Thank you, onii-san,” together. He blinked and watched them run off.

“Ah, you’re the little Uchiha boy!” the old lady exclaimed, bringing Sasuke’s attention to her. “Well, I haven’t seen you since you were twelve years old. You, Naruto, and the little girl helped to weed my garden.” 

She continued to chatter as Sasuke took in the strange realization he wasn’t being glared at or chastised by this villager. He had 1) expected some residual hatred and distrust from everyone in Konoha – barring Naruto, of course – and 2) decided he didn’t really care if that was the case. But finding this elderly lady, surely a respected senior of the civilian population, being openly friendly with him was… surprising.

“Well, I’ve got to get back to the little ones. It was nice to see you, Uchiha-san.” She bowed as low as she could – which wasn’t much – and Sasuke made sure to return the bow much deeper, strangely moved by her brief conversation with him and desperately not wanting to be.

She moved away, and Sasuke continued his trek to the Hokage tower. No one else stopped him, but he was much more aware of the attention he was _not_ receiving: no one glared; no one whispered, pointed, or yelled obscenities; no one even moved away and walked around him like he had the plague. It was like he was just… another villager, just any other shinobi, and not an S-class missing-nin.

When Naruto had used to tell him that no one would mind him coming home _(because it’s where you belong, bastard!)_ , Sasuke had thought it was complete and utter bullshit, the naïve fantasy of someone who _just didn’t get it_. But watching as no one cared that _Uchiha Sasuke_ was walking down their main street, unimaginably powerful and armed to the teeth beneath his cloak, Sasuke couldn’t help the small, incredulous thought that maybe – just maybe – the idiot had been right.

He walked through the entrance of the tower’s courtyard and continued into the building, aware of the ANBU eyes tracking him, though not in a hostile way. Just in the same way they tracked any other person that came near their Hokage. Sasuke smirked as he walked through the hallways on his way to Kakashi’s office. 

The day Kakashi needed ANBU to protect him was the day Sasuke forgave the Elders for destroying his life.

The ANBU stationed in front of Kakashi’s office did stand a little straighter as Sasuke neared, but other than that, they simply opened the door and let him through. Kakashi looked up from his paperwork, and Tsunade, who Sasuke was surprised to see, turned from looking out of the window to face him.

“Ah, Sasuke. Welcome back,” Kakashi said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled beneath his ever-present mask. “How was your trip?” Like it was a vacation instead of a journey of redemption.

“Hn,” he replied, moving to drop his pack down by his feet.

“Sounds fantastic.” Kakashi stood from his chair and moved in front of the desk, sitting on top of it and crossing his legs at the ankles. His face smoothed out from amused to serious. “I imagine you want to get to the clans’ proposal.”

Tsunade stepped forward, her arms crossed and a small frown on her ever-youthful face. “Kakashi has already told you that they want you to marry and reproduce. To be clear, while you have been cleared of charges and are set to re-integrate into full-time duty, if the clans still see your presence as a safety concern, they can forcibly put this plan in place, regardless of Kakashi’s stance.”

“Currently, however,” Kakashi picked up, “Shikamaru has convinced the clan heads that it is in their best interest not to force you into this. Therefore, both myself and the clans will leave this decision to you.”

Sasuke’s lip curled. “Yes, and I’m sure that won’t remain the case if I refuse.” He settled his face to an impassive stare. “Does my rank as clan head have no sway?”

Tsunade sighed. “It does in that you, as clan head, have the ability to refuse.” She paused, a rueful smile flitting at her lips. “But, as you’ve said, refusal is probably not the right course.”

Sasuke made no outward sign how that statement affected him; he simply turned his attention to Kakashi and said, “Your message indicated you were trying to find a way out of this.”

Kakashi shifted, a move some would take as being restless, but that Sasuke saw as being nervous. Kakashi nodded. “The only way out is if someone else was the Uchiha clan head.”

Sasuke snorted faintly. The only two ways that could possibly happen would be if there was another Uchiha alive to take the title, or Sasuke going through the long, ancient ritual of adopting someone into the clan and handing over the title. The former was impossible, and the latter was laughable.

“So, I have no choice. I thought as much.” Sasuke had known it as soon as he’d read Kakashi’s message. He couldn’t help the flash of Naruto’s disappointed face when he told him there was no way out. Naruto would probably rant and rave himself out of the running for Hokage once he found out.

“I didn’t say that, Sasuke,” Kakashi said lightly.

Sasuke scoffed and placed his hand on his hip. “So, what _are_ you saying?”

Kakashi glanced at Tsunade briefly before standing. “I need you to stay calm and listen to what we’re going to tell you, Sasuke. Let us tell you the whole story.”

Sasuke hesitated before nodding stiffly. Kakashi reached behind him and picked up an old scroll. He let it unfurl and handed it to Sasuke, who gingerly accepted it and started to scan the words scrawled in faded ink. It was a mission scroll to send a diplomat from Konoha to the Land of Iron, a kind of goodwill ambassador between the shinobi and the samurai. It was signed by the Sandaime Hokage and…

Sasuke’s eyes widened in shock.

… _Uchiha Fumiko_.

“What is this?” he asked quietly.

“I found that in a sealed box that had been hidden in the floor of the Hokage library.” Sasuke looked up at Kakashi. “Obviously, Sandaime had hoped to keep this mission secret from everyone, including the council. You’ll notice that the only thing that would bring the shinobi back from this mission was a direct order from the Hokage.”

“We started looking for any indication that Sarutobi-sensei had ever ordered her back,” Tsunade said, moving to behind the desk to shuffle through some papers. “We didn’t find anything in the mission archive or Hokage records. Not that there were many left after Pain’s attack. But Kakashi and I checked the death records for the Uchiha clan and didn’t find one for Uchiha Fumiko.”

“Did you know her, Sasuke?” Kakashi asked.

Sasuke nodded slowly. “Fumiko-oba, she was my father’s sister. She lived with us until I was three or four, and then… and then she didn’t.”

Kakashi nodded. “From what we found, she was listed as part of the main family, and then she wasn’t. The documents we were able to find show her as the single member of a branch family shortly before she was sent on this mission.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Kakashi?” Sasuke’s heart was starting to race, drawing a conclusion that his brain was furiously trying to deny.

“I sent a message to General Mifune in the Land of Iron, asking if Uchiha Fumiko was still there.” Tsunade passed Kakashi a piece of parchment, which he passed to Sasuke.

_Hatake-dono – Your inquiry comes as a great surprise, and, knowing what I do now of the clan’s troubled past, I am not sure how the answer will affect you and your village. But Uchiha Fumiko is still here in our land and has been here so long that she has been granted citizenship and is an honorary samurai captain. But far be it for me to disregard the command of her Hokage, if you have need of terminating her mission. Mifune_

It was through sheer willpower that Sasuke’s hand didn’t shake as he read the words several times, his eyes trained on the words “still here” like they were in a foreign language.

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Kakashi said, and Sasuke snapped his head up. “As the recognized clan head, I ask you to decide: will you agree to the clans’ proposal, or will you accept a mission to retrieve Uchiha Fumiko and instate her as head of the Uchiha clan?”

The answer should have been obvious, but he was bombarded with the “what-ifs” of bringing another Uchiha into the village, after everything the last few Uchiha had done, himself included. But then he had another flash of Naruto’s face, this one elated on _his_ behalf, if he wasn’t forced to do something he didn’t want to at the Elders’ behest. 

He straightened his back and looked Kakashi in the eyes. “I accept the mission to retrieve Uchiha Fumiko from the Land of Iron.” He smirked, and Kakashi and Tsunade returned it, satisfaction in their eyes at being able to completely stun the Elders and clan heads with this development.

“Yes, I thought you might.”

~*~

Mifune watched the group of young men run through their kata, their sensei off to the side and watching their movements like hawks. The smallest was a young woman, her long dark hair braided down her back, touching the top of her dark grey hakama that she wore low, on her waist, like the men. And though she was the smallest and the youngest, she was by far the most skilled of the sensei – probably more skilled than his seasoned soldiers, but she had never seen battle.

The boys were probably going to miss her, and Mifune would be losing one of the greatest assets the Land of Iron had. Her skill at quick drawing was almost equal to his own, and it was almost a shame that he had to relinquish that asset back to the shinobi.

But he was sure that she would like nothing more than to go home after everything that had happened to Konohagakure in the ten years or so she had been gone. It was a testament to her character that she was waiting for the order to return home rather than just abandoning her mission and going home.

Mifune sighed as he walked into the dojo. “Fumiko-sensei,” he called, pulling everyone’s attention his way. They all stopped what they were doing to bow to him, and he ignored it as he walked up to the young woman, her braid brushing the floor as she stayed bowed before him. “I’d like a word.”

“Of course, taishou,” she responded, waiting until he moved toward a secluded corner before straightening and following behind. Once they were situated away from the others, he smiled at her, maybe a touch sadly.

“It seems you will be leaving us soon,” he said.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”

“Your Hokage is calling you back to Konohagakure. He is sending two of his best to pick you up and escort you home.”

Her eyes were wide, and her lower lip shook slightly. “What?” she finally asked. “I… I don’t… what… what about the students?”

Mifune let out a short laugh. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, though I am equally sure you will be missed.” She still seemed stunned. “Are you not happy to be returning to your homeland?”

“No! I mean, yes! Taishou…” She trailed off, closed her eyes, and took a deep, centering breath. “It has been so long, I had… mostly given up hope that anyone would remember I was here.”

“I do not know by what means Hatake-dono came to learn you were here, but it seems it was only recently, and he has been rather quick to end your never-ending mission.” Her wide-eyed shock was slowly replaced with a small, pleased smile, and Mifune knew he had been right that she wished to return home. Maybe he should have sent her home himself long ago. “Now please go pack your belongings; your escort should be here within the week.”

She bowed low, her braid once more sweeping the floor as she murmured a quiet, “Thank you, taishou,” and he could feel her heartfelt gratitude in the quietly spoken words.

He returned her bow and then watched her lithely run out of the dojo, her students slack jawed at her quick departure. With a wistful smile, Mifune walked over to the other sensei and the students to relay the news.

~*~

Sakura clutched the reports close to her chest as she headed for Kakashi’s office. She’d had a long day at the hospital, her stress from the job and her constant replaying of her conversation with Naruto working together to wear her down. Once she dropped off these reports, she was going to head home, bathe, and sleep for at least sixteen hours.

She smiled wryly. Like that was going to happen.

As she neared Kakashi’s door, the ANBU guard held up a hand to stop her. “Hokage-sama is in a meeting. Please wait.”

Sakura nodded and leaned on the wall across the corridor. She let her mind wander back to Naruto and what he had said.

She felt horrible; Naruto had said some things that had hurt, and he had actually yelled at her. His moral compass always pointed due north, not because he was righteous, but because he was innocent and, to some extent, naïve. But she had thought he, of all people, would understand doing something – anything – to achieve a goal. His tenacity in retrieving Sasuke, his insistence of sticking to his nindo, no matter what, had made her think that he would understand her using whatever opportunity she could to achieve her dream of being with Sasuke.

Instead, he had yelled at her and told her trapping Sasuke like that and using his freedom against him was not something someone who loved him would do. And he had been right, and that had made her feel small and disgusted with herself.

She just really needed to talk to Sasuke about her feelings. She was sure he knew about them – her actions over the past five years had probably broadcasted them to Kumo and back – but she still loved him and still had hope that he could return those feelings. She just needed to be brave and patient; she needed to actually talk to him, spend time with him, and get to know him again, like Naruto. 

If only he would let her.

Kakashi’s door opened, and Hyuuga Hiashi stepped out, his arms folded into the sleeves of his kimono and a slight frown on his face. Sakura straightened from the wall and bowed. “Hello, Hyuuga-san.”

“Haruno-san,” he greeted before continuing down the hall. Sakura watched him for a moment before walking through the still open door and striding up to Kakashi’s desk.

“Tsunade-shishou’s reports from the hospital,” she said as she tossed them on top of the desk.

“Maa, Sakura. Not even a greeting for your old teacher?” Kakashi said as he leaned back in his chair.

Sakura blew a lock of hair out of her face and gave him a lopsided smile. “Hello, Hokage-sama.” Her smile strengthened as Kakashi frowned – pouted – just slightly. Before she could amend the greeting, the door opened again to admit Sasuke and Naruto.

Sakura held in a small gasp, hoping her face wasn’t blushing at the sight of the boy she loved and the boy with whom she’d recently had a falling out. But Naruto was grinning brightly and greeted her with a chipper “Sakura-chan!” like always, so she figured he had put their small argument behind him.

“Naruto, Sasuke-kun, what are you two doing here?”

“We have a mission!” Naruto practically shouted.

“Oh?” Sakura turned curious eyes Kakashi’s way. He was pulling a scroll out from a drawer in his desk. He smiled at her as he handed the scroll to Sasuke.

“So, Naruto is technically the captain, but Sasuke knows the pertinent details, so I expect the two of you to cooperate and work together.”

Sakura’s eyes widened slightly. “You’re only sending Naruto and Sasuke-kun?” She turned to her former teammates. “Where are you going?”

Being good shinobi, they didn’t tell her, though Naruto did look guilty.

“They’re going to the Land of Iron to pick something up for me,” Kakashi drawled.

That surprised Sakura. While Naruto’s relationship with the samurai was rather good, the same could not be said for Sasuke’s. Plus, the trip there was long and a little grueling, and it wasn’t usual for a team to be made up of only two shinobi. And… it was just Naruto and Sasuke, together, doing something without her again.

She turned to Kakashi. “Let me go with them.”

There was a slight pause before Kakashi said, “I’m sorry, Sakura. I can’t authorize that.”

“But… all teams should have a medic-nin.”

Kakashi’s brows drew down slightly. “If it comes to it, Naruto does have some healing abilities now.”

Before she could argue more, Sasuke called her name quietly. “I asked for a two-man team for this mission. And for obvious reasons, Naruto was the logical choice.”

Obvious reasons. Were those that only Naruto could handle Sasuke should the once missing-nin betray Konoha again, or that Naruto was the only person Sasuke trusted at his back anymore? Sakura was surprised by the sudden urge she had to cry.

But she was tired of doing nothing but crying; she wasn’t a twelve-year-old genin anymore. So instead of crying or throwing a fit and demanding to be included, she nodded and wished them a safe journey before leaving the office to return home for that bath.

As she left the tower gate, she found Ino and Hinata waiting for her. Ino had her arms crossed, frowning impatiently at the ground, but Hinata had been looking at the gate entrance and smiled at Sakura as she exited.

“Hello, Sakura-san,” Hinata said quietly, bowing so that her long, dark hair swept over her shoulder.

“Hi, Hinata, Ino. What are you two doing here?”

Ino looked up and smiled awkwardly. “I’m just here to support Hinata. She wants to talk about… that thing I told you about the other day.”

Sakura looked at Hinata in surprise. “You want to talk to me?”

Hinata nodded her head. “Why don’t we go get some tea?”

Still confused as to why Hinata would need to speak to her, Sakura could only nod in agreement and follow after Hinata and Ino. They walked in silence with Sakura shooting nervous glances at Hinata, Ino shooting nervous glances at Sakura, and Hinata only looking forward as she led the way to a dango shop nearby.

They sat at one of the tiny tables inside the stand, ordered, and waited in silence for their tea and sweets. Once the waitress had dropped off their orders, Sakura wrapped her hands around her cup and looked at Hinata purposefully.

Hinata took a small sip of her tea and set it down, curling her hands up in her lap. “My father has approached me about a possible marriage to Sasuke-san.” Her words were quiet, but her eyes were intent on Sakura, who could only blink in shock.

“Shikamaru has talked the clan heads into offering Sasuke-kun choices, rather than telling him who he has to marry. Hinata, you, and… myself are candidates on a short list. There are a few other names, some daughters of merchant families, which would leave the Uchiha chakra-line pure, but bolster the clan’s wealth,” Ino added.

Sakura swallowed. “And, if Sasuke-kun picks one of you, will you accept?”

Ino frowned. “It wouldn’t make much sense for me to accept.” Sakura and Ino turned their eyes to Hinata.

“Sasuke-san will have his reasons for choosing whoever he decides upon, and if he is comfortable enough to choose me, then I will do my duty and accept.”

Sakura was stunned. “But… you’re in love with Naruto!”

Hinata flinched, but her eyes didn’t waver. “Yes.” She paused. “But,” she continued softly, her eyes shifting, “I don’t know that I will ever have the courage to tell him again.” She took a deep breath and looked at Sakura again. “Naruto-kun has always been a symbol of strength to me, has always kept me going, gave me hope, and allowed me to stand beside him, if even only for a moment. But no matter how much I _want_ to be with him, I am aware that… Naruto needs someone much stronger than me by his side.”

Then she smiled so beautifully, Sakura almost cried. “As long as Naruto-kun is happy, I will be happy.”

Naruto’s words suddenly came back to her: _I don’t know much about love, Sakura-chan, but I imagine it involves doing something that makes the other happy, even if it doesn’t end up good for you._

Sakura bit her lip and looked down into her cold tea. “So, you’re warning me that I could lose Sasuke-kun to you, Hinata?”

“Yes and no. Sakura-san, I only wanted to encourage you to speak to Sasuke-san before he is married to someone else. You’re his friend and teammate, and you love him. If he knows how you feel, he will see that the best outcome in this… bad situation may be to choose you.”

Sakura suppressed a flinch. That had hurt about as much as Naruto’s words had, that she was only the best of a bad situation. But Hinata was right about one thing, something Sakura had realized on her own: she really needed to talk to Sasuke and let him know how she felt.

She sighed aloud. “I guess I’ll ask for some of his time when he gets back from his mission.” Ino and Hinata smiled at her. “And I really think you need to do the same with Naruto, Hinata. Don’t think you’re not good enough for him!”

Hinata blushed, but she smiled prettily as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Maybe I will.”

“‘Atta girl!” Ino said, placing her hand on Hinata’s shoulder. They all laughed and eagerly agreed when the waitress returned and asked if they wanted more tea. Sakura felt much better than she had all day as the conversation moved on to the hospital, training, and idiot teammates.

 

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

They had left Konoha just a few days ago, and Naruto was starting to get pissed at Sasuke’s continued silence on what they were going to the Land of Iron to retrieve. So, when night descended, and they made camp, Naruto threw himself down by Sasuke and forced him to look him in the eye with a tight grip on his chin.

“All right, bastard. Enough is enough; what the hell is this mission about?”

Sasuke glared at him and roughly pulled his chin from Naruto’s grasp. Naruto glared right back. They stared off like that for a while, the only noise the crackling of the fire, until Sasuke finally looked away and released a put-upon sigh.

“You said you would help me stop the clan heads.”

Naruto blinked at that, his anger melting into confusion. “Yeah, I did. What does that have to do with this?”

Sasuke reached over and pulled his pack closer to him. He shifted a few things around inside before bringing out an old scroll and handing it to Naruto.

“The only thing that can keep me from having to do what the clan heads want is to have someone else be the Uchiha clan head.”

Because Sasuke, as a former missing-nin, had lost his vote as clan head, for all intents and purposes. Naruto had figured that out on his own. So, if someone else was clan head, they – not being an infamous and deranged former missing-nin – would have a vote not only as clan head, but also as Sasuke’s _guardian_.

“I thought only Uchiha could be clan head of the, uh, Uchiha,” Naruto said as he unrolled the scroll and began to read.

Diplomatic mission… blah blah… Land of Iron… blah blah… Signed Sarutobi Hiruzen and U… chi… ha…

“What?!” Naruto glanced up at Sasuke in astonishment.

Sasuke glared at his outburst, but only for a moment, and then he turned that glare to the fire. “Kakashi found this scroll sealed and hidden in the floor of the Hokage’s library. He surmises that the Third never intended for anyone to know that an Uchiha had left the village.” He smirked, nasty and dark, full of the irony that wasn’t lost on Naruto about the Third sending yet another Uchiha on a secret mission. The smirk faded after a moment, replaced by a contemplative frown. “He doesn’t know if the Third never intended to call her back or if he died before he could.”

Naruto’s eyes widened in comprehension. “Kakashi-sensei is sending us to bring her home to be the clan head!” He looked at the scroll again, excited about this mission even more than he had been. Sure, first, he’d been thrilled that he and Sasuke were on a _team_ again. But now, he could meet another Uchiha – who probably had wicked cool techniques and might be another challenger for Naruto to train with – and help save Sasuke at the same time. And if there was anything Naruto did with _fervor_ , it was saving Sasuke.

After a few minutes of silence, Naruto cleared his throat and asked quietly, “Do you know her? This Fumiko?”

Sasuke pressed his lips together, like he didn’t want to talk, but then he sighed and leaned back the slightest bit, like he was relaxing. “She’s my father’s sister, younger. She’s Kakashi’s age or just about? Probably in his genin class.”

“Whoa,” Naruto murmured. A real, live Uchiha that Sasuke knew _personally_.

“Being young, she was unwed, so she lived with my family.” His brows creased. “Itachi and I… spent a lot of time with her. And when I was three, she suddenly moved out, to a house on the outskirts of the clan property, and Father told us not to see her anymore.”

“Wonder why,” Naruto said quietly, not really asking anything in particular.

“But sometimes Itachi would sneak me out to go see her. She would set out dango for Itachi and onigiri for me, and she talked about a lot of things with Itachi that I didn’t understand.”

“Did you know she left?” Naruto asked when Sasuke had been quiet for several minutes. He looked at Naruto, his eyes refocusing as if he’d been looking at something far away.

He shook his head. “No. When we stopped sneaking out to see her, I figured it was because Itachi got busy with missions and training.” And then Sasuke turned his head away, but not before Naruto saw the sadness passing through his eyes. He looked back down at the scroll and then slowly rolled it back up. He could only imagine how Sasuke felt knowing he had another family member alive and could only hope that it brought him some kind of solace.

A few days later, and the weather was starting to get a little colder, even during the day. They could have already arrived at their destination, but they had both – silently – agreed that a slow journey was preferable to getting it over with quickly, for many reasons – both in front of and behind them – and Naruto was enjoying the slow transition from lush foliage to snow-covered ground. They hadn’t reached snow yet, but it was close. Naruto pulled his cloak a little closer about him.

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto said, enjoying the way his breath rose up in front of him. Sasuke didn’t respond, but Naruto knew he was waiting for him to continue. “So, like, we’re doing this so that you don’t have to marry now and wed someone you don’t know or like, but…” He bit his lip slightly, wondering if he should continue, but it had really been bugging him for a really long time, ever since they were children and Sasuke had spurned all the girls’ advances.

“What?” Sasuke asked gruffly.

“You do want to get married, right? And rebuild the clan?”

Sasuke was quiet. Naruto knew his friend was uncomfortable with subjects like this, always had been, but he waited patiently for an answer. And if Sasuke decided not to answer, Naruto would just leave it. They were older now, and Naruto knew when not to push. Mostly.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke finally said. “I had wanted to, back when I thought, well, before we found out…”

“That the Uchiha are batshit crazy?” Naruto added, only slightly joking.

“Moron,” Sasuke said, punching Naruto in the shoulder – hard. Naruto pouted as he rubbed at his shoulder, but he had to admit that Sasuke didn’t really have anything on Sakura, so he refrained from complaining. He was pleasantly surprised when Sasuke continued softly, “I’m not really thinking about it anymore. There’s a lot I need to atone for before I can consider something like that.”

Naruto frowned, but didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he asked, “Well, is there someone you’d consider marrying?”

After another moment of silence, contemplative, if Naruto had to guess, figuring Sasuke was going through every girl their age or that they knew, Sasuke said, “No.”

Naruto frowned more, but more in pity for Sakura than anything. He wasn’t stupid and knew that Sakura still loved their wayward teammate, especially after their little tiff, but even now, after everything they had been through, Sasuke had no intention of returning her feelings.

“What about you?”

“Huh?” Sasuke’s question jolted Naruto out of his thoughts. “Oh.” Naruto pursed his lips in thought, humming as he considered all the girls they knew. He momentarily stopped on Hinata, remembering her bravery against Pain and… and her confession (which Naruto had _totally_ forgotten; he was such an ass!), but he ultimately came to the same conclusion as Sasuke. He shook his head.

“That’s surprising,” Sasuke said.

“Why?”

Sasuke shrugged. “With how much you crave attention, I figured a family was something you wanted – people who love you unconditionally and depend on you.”

“Bastard! You make it sound like I’m a complete egomaniac or something!”

“Not quite, but I’m surprised you know that word.”

“Argh!” Naruto screamed, but he could hear Sasuke’s slight, quiet chuckle, so he was smiling as he did. But after a moment, he continued more solemnly, “I think the scary part is the ‘depend on you.’ Just thinking of people being that dependent on me alone is…”

He didn’t have a word for it, really.

“How is it any different from being Hokage?” Naruto stared at Sasuke wide-eyed. “When you’re Hokage, the entire village will depend on you in the same way as a family.”

Something warm filled Naruto at Sasuke’s words because he’d said ‘when’ and not ‘if,’ like Sasuke really believed Naruto would become Hokage. But then again, why wouldn’t he? Naruto promised Sasuke he would become Hokage and fix things, and Naruto never went back on his word.

Then he truly considered Sasuke’s words. The thought of the entire village depending on him didn’t give him the same sense of anxiety as a family did. He didn’t know if it was because being Hokage was his dream or he had more than proved capable of defending the whole _world_ , but being Hokage he could do. Marrying and having a family? Probably not. At least not right now.

The silence between him and Sasuke as the conversation winded down was comfortable, and they continued on that way until it was time to make camp.

A few more days, and they were finally close to the Land of Iron, surrounded by snow and ice and just on the outskirts of the Three Wolves mountains. Naruto had never been there, so he could only gape at the massive and strangely shaped peaks and wonder how they were supposed to get through the mountains. But Sasuke _had_ , he had to remind himself, even if they were trying very hard not to bring up what had happened the last time Sasuke was there, so he probably knew some super-secret way to get into the samurai stronghold.

They would camp out for one more night before entering the samurai domain – Sasuke’s decision. Whether it was so Sasuke could mentally prepare to meet his aunt or for seeing the samurai, Naruto didn’t know. He thought it had to be one of the two, because there was plenty of time left in the day to travel and get there, but Sasuke insisted on camping. He was stalling, probably because he was nervous. And Naruto didn’t blame him one bit. Naruto was nervous _for_ him.

They found a little clearing in a copse of pine trees a little way off the road, and Naruto watched in fascination as Sasuke performed a one-handed katon to clear the ground of snow. Actually, Sasuke had done so every night they’d camped in the snowy terrain, but it still mesmerized Naruto. That first time, Naruto had commented on it, and Sasuke had shrugged it off and said in return, “I’m sure you learned to do one-handed jutsu, too, before you got your arm.”

He _had_ , but that had been after Sasuke had left on his journey, and it surprised him to know that Sasuke just assumed that he would have done so. It made it seem like Sasuke believed them to be equal, something Naruto had sought for so long when he’d been younger and was never really confident that he had achieved.

He had felt that confusing warmth again at Sasuke’s blasé acceptance of what he had assumed to be the case, that Naruto would have striven to become stronger with or without his arm, just like Sasuke, but this time it had been accompanied by a disturbing flutter in his stomach. He hadn’t really known what that was about, but he’d refrained from eating his ramen that night.

What was also a common occurrence while they camped in the snowy terrain was how… close he and Sasuke ended up being in the one tent. They had shared tents before, sure, but they’d never been anywhere that required _body warmth_ , so that first night he’d woken to Sasuke shivering and curled up beside him had been shocking. But not uncomfortable, which was weird.

But other than it not being uncomfortable, Naruto wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He kind of lumped it in with those warm feelings he’d been having lately and that brief ( _not_ brief) bout of jealousy, pushing all of them to the back of his mind where he didn’t have to think about them. Because, again, though they were kind of new and special-feeling, they had to be wrong because, well, they were feelings Naruto had when near or thinking and talking about Sasuke. So, yeah, locked box in the back of his mind.

Besides, Sasuke was about to get hit hard with… stuff, so Naruto needed to be there for him. Especially since this would be the first time in a very long time that Sasuke would let Naruto be there for him. Probably.

But first, true to their bond, Naruto was going to mess with him a bit.

“So,” he said as he pulled dried kindling from his pack that he'd collected from previous campsites and left to dry, “How do you think you’ll feel when you see her?”

“Really, Naruto?”

“Just making conversation, bastard,” he said cheerily as he placed the kindling in a bundle. “Light the fire, will ya?” A katon shot by, igniting the sticks and nearly burning his hands. Naruto whipped his head around and glared at Sasuke, an angry blush suffusing his cheeks. “Bastard! Don’t make me kick your ass!”

Sasuke gave an inelegant snort as he rationed out their dinner. “Like you could.”

“I did once!”

“Yes, one time.”

“The one time that counts!” Naruto shouted.

Sasuke didn’t instantly retort, and after a moment, he quietly said, “That’s true.”

Naruto frowned as he looked back at the fire. Maybe messing with Sasuke wasn’t the best idea, so Naruto let it go. Besides, Sasuke’s admission was… He didn’t know how to describe it, but he was close to deciding it went into the box at the back of his mind with everything else.

They ate dinner, talked about inconsequential things, and then settled down inside their tent. Naruto was sure Sasuke was as wide awake as he was, but there was nothing he could say or do that would prepare Sasuke for tomorrow, so he just stayed quiet and listened to nature and Sasuke’s breathing. He eventually slept, and in the morning, he and Sasuke silently packed up camp and made their way into the depths of the mountains.

Naruto felt for Sasuke, he really did, but he couldn’t help the grin that kept tugging at his lips as he watched Sasuke become tenser, especially when they finally made it into the samurai stronghold and all eyes tracked him through the compound, his fingers twitching as if he was trying not to reach for his sword. As a counterpoint, many of the samurai graciously greeted Naruto and welcomed him to their country, and if Sasuke was anyone other than an Uchiha, Naruto was sure he’d have a vein or two throbbing in his temple.

They were led to a large gate that opened into a courtyard of packed earth. Atop the gate were two sculpted swords crossed at the fuchi, blades up, with two scrolls that hung to either side. In the most elegant writing Naruto had ever seen, one scroll read _katsujin-ken_ and the other read _satsujin-ken_. Naruto scrunched his nose as he sounded them out silently in his head, not really getting the significance. But he just shrugged it off as they entered through the gate and gave his attention to the large space inside.

The courtyard was massive, and at the far-right end were several straw dummies on poles wearing yukata that were ripped – _slashed!_ – to shreds. A large staircase dominated the center view, and it led up to what looked to Naruto to be a shrine of some sort, but the wooden doors stood open to show it wasn’t a shrine, but a dojo. Naruto saw a lone, shadowy figure inside, but before he could look longer, Mifune came up to them and bowed his welcome.

“Uzumaki-san, Uchiha-san, welcome. I hope your journey here was uneventful,” Mifune said as he raised himself.

Naruto and Sasuke returned his bow. “It was a nice trip!” Naruto said enthusiastically. Then he laughed nervously as he added, “Of course, we may have taken a little longer than Kakashi-sensei was expecting.”

“Well, there should be no hurry, I’m sure. Fumiko-sensei has been here for thirteen years already; what’s another few days?” Mifune laughed at his own statement.

“Sensei?” Sasuke questioned quietly.

Mifune’s eyes seem to brighten as he said, “Why, yes! Fumiko-sensei is one of our best kenjutsu masters. Further, she is, other than myself, our only iaijutsu master.”

Naruto shot a look over at Sasuke and saw how he tried to hide the immense interest he must have learning his aunt, from a strong shinobi line, was a master sword-wielder. 

“I’ll go get her. She was just saying her goodbyes to the dojo.” Mifune walked away and up the staircase into the dojo. Naruto shifted closer to Sasuke.

“Hey, what’s iaijutsu?”

“Tch.” Sasuke leaned his weight on his left leg, shifting him closer to Naruto. “It basically means that she uses the sheath to increase her draw speed.”

Yeah, Naruto didn’t know what that meant. And Sasuke knew he didn’t know, the bastard. But instead of pointing that out – Sasuke was already smirking, _the bastard!_ – Naruto just crossed his arms and huffed out a breath. He felt Sasuke tense and straighten next to him, so he looked up at the dojo and saw Mifune descending the steps, closely followed by a young woman in a light purple kimono. The obi was a pale green with white sakura petals, and a matching sack was tied around her chest that probably carried her belongings.

As they stepped onto the packed earth of the courtyard, swarms of young men in hakama converged on them from out of nowhere, and they were cut off from sight. Naruto blinked as they all tried to shout their farewells to ‘Fumiko-sensei’ at the same time. Then a big bear of a man with a long, high ponytail in matching hakama stepped up and yelled out a command for order, and all the young men formed five uniform lines in front of Mifune and Fumiko. They bowed deeply, as did the other sensei that also came from out of nowhere – _where were they all coming from?!_ – and Fumiko returned it.

Then she and Mifune were walking down the center aisle between the lines and stopping in front of Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto took in the dark brown hair, tied up in a side bun, and the slightly less pale skin and imagined that, aside from the feminine bone structure, this is what Uchiha Fugaku looked like.

Fumiko bowed as they stopped, and Naruto heard Sasuke’s slight intake of breath before he returned it. Naruto quickly bowed, too. He hadn’t bowed this much in his life; samurai were much stricter than shinobi, he guessed. (Or he just lacked manners and etiquette, but whatever.)

“Fumiko-sensei, please let me introduce your escorts: Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke,” Mifune said.

At that, Fumiko’s head shot up, and her black eyes – an Uchiha clan staple – were opened wide in shock and focused on Sasuke. When he raised himself up and looked at her in return, his face impassive, Fumiko let out a soft gasp, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.

“Hello,” Sasuke said stiffly. Naruto elbowed him in the side. He cleared his throat and said, “It’s good to see you… oba-san.”

Fumiko dropped her hands, a tremulous smile on her lips. “My little prince,” she whispered before she stepped forward and slowly wrapped her arms around Sasuke’s neck in a tentative hug. Sasuke hesitated briefly before wrapping his right arm around her waist. She came up to just past his chin, so she tucked her head into his neck and squeezed.

Naruto didn’t want to intrude any more than he had, so he looked away at nothing in particular. Mifune stepped up to him.

“Is there anything you require for your journey home, Uzumaki-san? We can restock your supplies.”

Naruto smiled. “Thanks, but we have it covered. And I think we’re going to go a little faster on the way home.” He heard a _clack_ next to him, and he looked down at Fumiko’s feet. She was wearing traditional geta. “Er, we’re going to _try_ to go a little faster on the way home.” He looked up, and Fumiko and Sasuke were both looking at them, ready to go.

Mifune and their samurai guard walked them back to the stronghold entrance, and as they stepped out into the snow, Mifune produced a cloak and wrapped it around Fumiko’s shoulders. “You will be missed, Fumiko. But you are always welcome in the Land of Iron, so come back anytime.”

Fumiko smiled and bowed deeply. “There are no words to express my gratitude to you for your graciousness these past thirteen years, taishou.” Mifune returned her bow, offered more parting words, and then they were off.

“All right!” Naruto yelled. “Let’s go home!”

~*~

Tsunade’s fingers tapped impatiently on her crossed arm as she waited for Kakashi to finish signing off on some documents. She’d had a long day at the hospital and had barged her way into Kakashi’s office to talk about the Uchiha predicament but had been stalled by the presence of Shikamaru.

“Godaime-sama,” Shikamaru said lazily. She turned her eyes to him, a brow quirked in question. “If you need to speak to Hokage-sama, I can let you know when he’s free.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or you could let me in on what you two have been doing in secret the past few weeks.”

Tsunade smirked. Shikamaru must be extremely agitated at not knowing something to be so brazen. “That’s not my call anymore, Nara,” she answered.

“No, it’s mine,” Kakashi said as he finished signing a document and added it to growing pile to his right. “And right now, I find it more prudent to keep this to myself and Tsunade-sama.” His eyes flicked up to Shikamaru briefly before moving back to the next document.

Shikamaru sighed and muttered quietly, and Tsunade returned her attention to the view of Konoha from the office window. It still amazed her how the village looked now after the utter devastation from Pain’s attack; and when she remembered all the lives that had been brought back from death through a young man’s determined belief in the impossible… she could feel nothing but grateful that that same brat had dragged her back here to witness something so god-like and humbling. 

She’d been saved from something much worse than death by Naruto, and she was determined to make his dreams come true. Even if it meant helping out Uchiha, who, after some consideration, she could grudgingly admit might not have been entirely at fault for his actions. Besides, she’d left the village herself, young and disillusioned by loss – not unlike Uchiha – so it was kind of like a pot-kettle situation (not that she’d ever admit it to those two brats).

Her thoughts were derailed as her sharp eyes caught the movement of a hawk circling above, its lithe body winging over the trees and swooping down toward the Tower. It landed on the window sill and tapped its beak against the glass.

“Dismissed, Shikamaru,” Kakashi said as he abandoned the documents to walk toward and open the window. Tsunade watched Shikamaru frown and bow before leaving the office then turned her attention to Kakashi. The hawk had stepped closer and was lifting its leg to Kakashi. Tsunade raised a brow. “One of Sasuke’s summons,” Kakashi said by way of explanation.

He detached the missive from the hawk’s leg, and it immediately disappeared, returning to its home after fulfilling its contractor’s wish. Obviously, Uchiha wasn’t expecting a return answer. Kakashi unfurled the tiny parchment, and Tsunade watched his expression as his eyes traced over the words.

“They’ve retrieved Uchiha Fumiko and are on their way home.”

“Is that it?” Tsunade asked as Kakashi returned to his desk.

“He says that Mifune informed them that she’s a kenjutsu master. He’s yet to see any of her skills himself, but praise from a samurai commander can’t be disregarded.”

Tsunade hummed in agreement. “Does it say how long they’ll take to get here?”

“No, but even at full speed, we have time to figure out what to do when she’s here.”

Tsunade turned to face Kakashi completely, leaning her back against the window. “What do we know about her? Anything?”

Kakashi leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him as he contemplated her question. He let out a quiet sigh. “She’s my age. She was in my genin class, but I graduated pretty early, so didn’t spend much time with any of my classmates.” Tsunade nodded; she’d known that. “Everyone knew she was an Uchiha, a member of the main branch even, but because everyone was so interested in how,” he chuckled lightly, “Bad Obito was and how he’d turn out, no one really paid any attention to her.”

Tsunade clicked her tongue. “So, what you’re saying is that we know nothing?”

Kakashi’s eyes crinkled as he frowned. “Not necessarily. I at least know that she made it to chuunin before she left. There was some commotion about a mission, but it… was after Minato-sensei’s death, so I… didn’t really pay attention.” He flicked his eyes over to her. “Why are you asking?”

Tsunade sighed. “I’m all for bringing her back and our plan, but she’s an unknown factor. You’re going to hear it from the clans that bringing an Uchiha into this village after everything they’ve done, after they were basically badgered into clearing the boy – who, let’s not forget has the powers of the Sage of Six Paths and could probably take us all out at his whim – isn’t exactly a good idea.”

Kakashi hummed in amusement. “I never said it _was_ a good idea. It’s just the only one we have.”

“This won’t be as simple as just making her the head of the Uchiha clan. When she gets here, we need to talk with her and find out if she has at least one quality we can use to our advantage with the clans.”

“A useful attribute, huh?” Kakashi said to himself. His brow crinkled in thought, and Tsunade allowed the silence to stretch between them. Then Kakashi was blinking, his eyes widened in surprise. “She’s a medic-nin.”

“What?” Tsunade said, pushing off the wall and moving to stand in front of Kakashi. It was unheard of that anyone in the Uchiha clan was trained as a medic-nin; it went against everything the clan had stood for as a warrior clan.

“That’s what I’m remembering. At least, I think she was. It was after an ANBU mission – I was at the memorial stone, paying respects to Obito and Rin. She was suddenly there, next to me; I hadn’t even sensed her approach. She didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at me. She was just… praying. But when she turned to leave, she asked me if she could heal a wound I had on my shoulder.”

“And did she?” Tsunade asked, fascinated.

Kakashi shook his head, frowning. “I didn’t let her. I didn’t even answer her, just kept looking at the stone and wishing she’d leave me alone.”

“Amazing,” Tsunade said quietly. “This could be an excellent opportunity to see how the Sharingan can advance healing jutsu. And as that happens to be my domain, I can shoulder most of the battle with the clans.” She grinned predatorily at the fight to come.

“And as you’re no longer Hokage, I can see this getting a little out of hand.”

Tsunade smirked and quirked her brow. “And?”

Kakashi spread his hands out in front of him. “By all means. Just commenting on how your fun is going to put me in a delicate position.”

“It’s what you signed up for,” she replied.

Kakashi heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I should start reminding people that I didn’t sign up for anything.”

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting Fumiko _to_ Konoha is taking forever!! That's where some of my fave scenes happen (at least how they're laid out in my head; who knows what my fingers might end up typing).
> 
> Thanks for the feedback so far! I'm glad it's being enjoyed. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Sasuke wasn’t often subjected to awkward silences, but there was no other way to describe the silence that descended amongst them as they started their trek back toward Konoha.

Fumiko was older, for sure, but she looked just like she had all those years ago.

She looked just like his father.

And it was stirring up feelings inside of him that he hadn’t been prepared for, ugly feelings that completely obliterated his surprise and awe at having a family member still alive.

“So, Uchiha-san, what’s been going on with you?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Leave it to that moron to completely ignore awkward situations. He turned slightly to watch them as they walked, noticing the small smirk on her face, much like one he would wear.

“Nothing much, Uzumaki-kun, thank you for asking.”

“Call me Naruto! Everybody does. Except for Sasuke; he calls me ‘moron.’ But that’s okay, ‘cause he’s a bastard.”

“That’s… interesting,” Fumiko responded. “Then please call me Fumiko.”

“All right, Fumiko-chan!” Naruto laughed brightly, his hands locked behind his head as they continued to walk. He preceded to regale Fumiko with stories of his exploits, carefully leaving out anything having to do with chasing Sasuke for years and both fights at the Valley of the End, but pretty much leaving the war intact.

“So, Itachi-kun is dead then?” Fumiko asked at one point, and Sasuke felt the blood turn to ice in his veins.

Naruto didn’t answer right away, and Sasuke had no desire to chime in. But eventually Naruto replied, “How much do you actually know, Fumiko-chan?”

“Hm,” she answered thoughtfully, bringing her right hand up to push a strand of her hair that had fallen from her bun behind her ear. “Samurai are not much for gossip, but you hear things. Nothing I’ve ever had verified, mind you, but some of it is so explicit that it’s hard to believe it isn’t true.”

Like the Kage Summit? Sasuke wondered, as it had happened right in the middle of the samurai homeland. He frowned down at the ground.

They walked for a time in silence after that. Then Fumiko said, “When we stop for camp, I would be grateful to hear the whole story.” Neither he nor Naruto said anything to that, and they continued in silence until the sun began to set.

Sasuke reflexively performed his katon to clear the ground of snow and ice, but before he and Naruto could start to build the fire and put up the tent, he felt a surge of chakra behind him and watched as the excess water was pulled into the ground, and the mud dried to loose dirt. The sticks that littered the ground were dry and brittle, perfect for kindling. He looked over his shoulder at his aunt, who stood perfectly still, as if she hadn’t moved a muscle.

“That was so cool!” Naruto exclaimed as he bounced over to Fumiko. “How did you do that without hand signs?”

Fumiko smirked again. “Trade secret, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto’s face scrunched up in annoyance. “Tch. And here I thought Sasuke was a smug bastard all on his own. But it turns out it’s hereditary.” He turned to Sasuke. “Hey, bastard, do you know how she did it?”

“Hn,” was all he said as he went about setting up camp. But he wondered. He thought he _did_ know how she did it and started wondering how long it would take him to do the same. Because, of course, now he needed to know, as Naruto wasn’t going to rest until he figured it out, too.

They spent the next half hour putting up the tent and cooking dinner. As they sat around the fire, quietly eating, Fumiko asked again to hear the story. Sasuke wasn’t a particularly good conversationalist, let alone a storyteller, but he knew Naruto would be willing to undertake the telling for him.

“Well,” Naruto started, setting his spoon in his bowl. “It all started thousands and thousands of years ago, when this rabbit goddess named Kaguya fell from the sky.”

And if that wasn’t the most ridiculous start to a story ever, Sasuke didn’t know what was. But Fumiko didn’t so much as bat an eye, so Naruto continued. He told everything they both had learned – about Kaguya and her sons, the Sage of the Six Paths and his sons; about Zetsu’s desire to bring Kaguya back and targeting the descendants of Indra, the Uchiha; about Zetsu finally gaining purchase in Madara after the creation of the ninja villages; about Obito and the Uchiha massacre and Itachi; about Sasuke and Orochimaru, and the Valley of the End; about Akatsuki, the Jinchūriki, and the war; about nindo and friends, and Sasuke, and his parents, Kurama, the bijuu, the Sage of the Six Paths again; Madara and Obito and Kaguya again, and finally, the Valley of the End.

The entire history of shinobi laid out in Naruto’s exuberant and overly emotional tones. _Their_ entire history laid out in front of them, a reminder to Sasuke of everything that had been done to him, everything he had done to Naruto, and how easy it was to gain Naruto’s forgiveness when he couldn’t even forgive himself.

He came back too soon, he thought darkly; he hadn’t been redeemed yet.

When nothing but the crackling of the fire was heard after Naruto finished his tale, Sasuke looked up and found Fumiko’s eyes on him.

There was more to the story, she knew, parts that Naruto couldn’t possibly know because they had been apart for a few years. He swallowed and quietly, haltingly, told the parts that Naruto had left out – about Itachi’s words that fateful night and Orochimaru’s promises; about Kabuto and those gut-wrenching experiments; about Hebi and the Kage Summit, and Madara and Taka; about Danzou and the truth, Itachi’s eyes and his Eternal Mangekyou; about Naruto’s relentless pursuits and the realization of a timeless connection that lead to his declaration to kill Naruto – he felt no need to hide these things from her if she really wanted the whole story – about reuniting with Itachi and his brother’s last words; about the Hokage and the war, the Sage of the Six Paths and the Rinnegan, and his desire to shoulder all the hatred of the world; about Naruto’s complete and utter victory at the Valley of the End; about his imprisonment and atonement, and how he didn’t really know where to go from here in order to deserve the freedom he has.

The crackling of the fire greeted the end of his story, as well.

“Well,” Fumiko said after a bit. “That’s quite a story.”

Sasuke lifted his head to stare at her, his eyes wide. Naruto was less circumspect.

“Is that all you have to say?!”

She shrugged as she turned her attention back to her food. “What am I supposed to say? It happened in the past; my reaction will not change any of it. Besides, is it really my place to comment on your lives?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Naruto trailed off. “You don’t have anything to say about what the council did to your family?”

She didn’t answer right away, but her lips pressed together in a thin line. Finally, she said, “It’s despicable, Naruto-kun, and I will have words with them, even if it is no longer my place.” She paused. “I guess I will just say this.” She looked Sasuke in the eyes. “Both Fugaku and Itachi made their choices, regardless of whatever grand schemes were guiding them. They _chose_ to do those things. You _chose_ to do the things you did, Sasuke. As did you, Naruto-kun,” she said, moving her gaze to him. “They are your choices and your actions, regardless of whether they were the right ones. And, whether you believe it or not, the same goes for the council.”

She took a deep breath. “Forgiveness and justice are not the same thing. Justice is not mine to give, but forgiveness is.” She set her bowl and utensil aside and stood, brushing down the front of her kimono. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

She left the clearing, and once again, the damn crackling of the fire was the only sound between them. Then Naruto cleared his throat.

“That was… something,” he said. “But… she’s not wrong, I don’t think.” Sasuke shot him a glare. “What?” Naruto asked defensively. “Don’t act like I haven’t been saying the same thing, bastard. All that shit happened in the past. Yes, it was shitty, and it caused a lot of pain, but it’s done; we have a chance to move on and _fix_ it, and to do that, you need to realize that wallowing in guilt isn’t going to help!”

Sasuke snapped. “Go to hell, moron!” 

“Only if you go first, asshole!”

Sasuke’s fist bunched, the first overt step in punching the shit out of Naruto, but suddenly, his hand went numb, just for a split second, enough to drain his anger and replace it with confusion.

“Boys, that is quite enough of the yelling. These roads aren’t exactly safe.” Fumiko melted out of the shadows and reclaimed her spot by the fire. She flicked her eyes up to Sasuke. “Sasuke, I apologize if my words upset you.”

“Hn,” he answered, not really sure she needed to apologize; isolation or not, she _was_ his revered aunt, and he owed her his respect. And he wasn’t exactly upset, just confused as to why she just shrugged off the horrible things he’d done and anxiously waiting for her harsh criticism.

They were quiet again, but it was inevitably broken by Naruto. “So, Fumiko-chan, I’m not sure if now is the right time, but there is a reason we came to get you.”

Sasuke shot his eyes over to Naruto. They hadn’t discussed telling Fumiko what was going on, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad idea.

“Oh?” she said. “I was wondering what had happened after so many years.”

“Well, it’s kind of… complicated? Or maybe messed up. But we – _Sasuke_ needs your help.”

She looked at Sasuke, and he cleared his throat to continue. “The clan heads and Elders are concerned about my return to the village and want to tie me down with an arranged marriage.” He noted the brief flash of anger in her eyes before it was masked by concentration. Was that anger directed at him? He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Kakashi-sensei found this old scroll that said you’d been sent to the Land of Iron, so he wants to bring you home to be the Uchiha clan head and get Sasuke out of the marriage,” Naruto finished for him.

“I see,” she murmured, staring into the dancing flames.

“Uh, do you not want to be the clan head?” Naruto asked uncertainly.

She shook her head and looked up at them. “It’s not that, but it might be hard. I was… forcibly severed from the Uchiha main branch.”

Sasuke snorted. “It doesn’t matter either way. You’re already the clan head, since Itachi is gone and I’m not of age; they’ll have to recognize that. And if they don’t, then it is my right as clan head to give the title to another clan member.”

Her lip twitched as if she wanted to smile. “So, you’ve really thought it through.”

“So, you’ll help us?” Naruto asked excitedly.

She smiled slightly. “Of course. I would never allow them to force Sasuke to do anything he didn’t want to.”

Sasuke let out a quiet breath, relief swimming through him. He hadn’t thought his aunt would make him do it, but to hear clearly that she wouldn’t eased something inside him that had been wound and tense.

Fumiko cleared her throat. “It’s getting late, boys, and we should probably pick up the speed tomorrow. Should I take first watch?”

“Watch?” Sasuke asked.

“As I said before, these roads aren’t exactly safe.”

“We didn’t have any trouble on the way here,” Naruto said, his face scrunched up in question.

“Hm. But you didn’t know these roads are dangerous. Regardless of what didn’t happen on your way here, you should always be on guard.”

Neither he nor Naruto had anything to say to that, as it was one of the very first things you learn as shinobi. Instead, Sasuke quietly volunteered for first watch to allow Fumiko to get some rest. She thanked him, volunteered for second watch, and wished them a good night. She disappeared into the tent with her pouch, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone.

“Well,” Naruto said after several minutes of silence. “I don’t think either of us are experts on how family reunions should be, but this one hasn’t been too bad.” Sasuke snorted at that. “Well,” Naruto continued, smirking at him slightly, “You could have been a little more talkative.”

“Hn.”

Naruto frowned. “Is something wrong?” Sasuke didn’t answer. “Are you not happy that she’s coming back?”

“Tch.” Sasuke pressed his lips together and cut his eyes to Naruto. He was looking at him calmly, patiently waiting for Sasuke to open up and share what he was feeling. Naruto’s words from a year ago softly echoed in his ears – when Sasuke hurt, Naruto hurt, too.

“I’m just… worried what she thinks of me, having heard everything I’ve done.”

Naruto hummed quietly. “She seemed to take it in stride. You think that she, I don’t know, disapproves of your choices? It didn’t seem like that to me.” Naruto shook his head. “Besides, you’ve done some good things to make up for those choices. And you’re going to help me fix the things that are still wrong, right?”

Sasuke didn’t reply to that, though Naruto had to know his answer.

Naruto sighed. “Well, I’ll admit, traveling and having an outsider along isn’t the best time to have a heart to heart, but I think, when we get home, that you and she should have a really good talk, Sasuke; become a family again.”

Sasuke’s breath hitched quietly at that. A _family_. He had a family again. And as hard as it was to admit that Naruto was right, and as hard as it was going to be to talk to his aunt, he was going to make sure that it happened fairly soon after they returned.

Naruto stayed with him a little while longer until Sasuke shooed him away to get what sleep he could before his watch. Naruto grumbled a little but eventually shuffled his way into the tent, and after a while, he could hear his snores coming from the inside.

He winced slightly, hoping the idiot didn’t bother his aunt; he’d had time to get accustomed to Naruto’s sleeping habits, even though he’d only been recently reacquainted with them. Though, now that he was alone with his thoughts, his mind was replaying the recent nights he’d found himself curled into Naruto’s warm body. It was reactionary, he knew, his body’s unconscious desire for heat in the cold weather, but what confused him was how he wasn’t… upset by the closeness. After everything he’d been through, after a year on his own, it was kind of… nice, being close to someone who knew who he really was and what he’d done and who forgave him. It was nice.

Okay, now it was a little uncomfortable, so he pushed those thoughts aside and turned to thoughts of his aunt, specifically what kind of skills she had up her sleeves. If one incident is evidence enough, she could perform jutsu without hand signs. Even Itachi had needed one hand to focus his chakra, but that was the key, wasn’t it? _Focusing chakra_. 

The hand signs for the myriad jutsu were for channeling the correct kind and amount of chakra to perform the jutsu. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility for someone to have refined chakra control to such a degree that hand signs weren’t necessary. In fact, he was halfway there himself, wasn’t he? He could probably figure out how to do it, too. And Naruto would, too. Eventually. Maybe… they could learn together, like the old days, like that mission to Wave.

He glared at the fire, a trifle upset to find his thoughts had strayed back to Naruto somehow. He viciously pushed them away again to focus on the other unknowns of his aunt’s skills. Mifune had said she was a kenjutsu master, which intrigued Sasuke very much, but he saw no swords among her belongings, only that one pouch. Of course, he was no stranger to seals concealing weapons, so he wouldn’t believe she didn’t have swords on her until it was confirmed either way.

He let his thoughts wander for a while before falling into a meditative state, his senses aware of his surroundings, but his mind blank of all thought and feeling. Eventually, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he quietly shifted to stand, his eyes taking in the slightly rumpled form of his aunt.

“Get some sleep, little prince,” she whispered with a small smile and gently pushed him toward the tent. With a small nod, he turned and strode quietly to the tent, slipping into it silently. Naruto was on his side, facing away from the tent flap, and he had stopped snoring for the time being. Sasuke’s lips twitched slightly, wondering when Naruto would flip to his back and start snoring again, and he quietly settled into the bedroll his aunt had vacated and tried to get some sleep.

~*~

Naruto’s watch had been uneventful, and breakfast had been light and quick. When Fumiko had said that they should pick up the pace, she hadn’t been kidding, and Naruto had never known it was possible to run in geta. But she was currently proving him wrong, showing expert-level chakra control as she ran lithely over the snow in the wooden sandals.

Damn the Uchiha clan for being so frickin’ impressive!

Even her chakra reserves were impressive, as she showed no signs of fatigue and could easily keep up with him and Sasuke. So much so that they reached trees and dirt road far quicker than he had anticipated, and home was only a day or so away, close enough that Fumiko and Sasuke agreed to slow down and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the sunshine.

Naruto was currently walking backwards, his hands linked behind his head as he grilled Fumiko on things he’d been dying to ask.

“So, Sasuke says you were in Kakashi-sensei’s genin class; is that true?”

“Indeed,” she said smiling. “It was so many years ago, but Hatake-san is one of those people that you just can’t seem to forget about.”

Naruto thought he heard a strange tone in her voice, but he brushed it off as he excitedly asked, “What was he like?!”

She laughed softly. “That generally depends on who you ask. Most of the class saw him as a genius, maybe a rival of sorts, and Obito, well, he categorized him a bit more colorfully, much as you do Sasuke, Naruto-kun.” He chuckled softly, remembering the memories he’d shared with Obito. “But by and large, Hatake-san was… a complete brat.”

Naruto guffawed loudly, completely able to believe it. He’d always known Kakashi could be an ass, so it made sense that the tendency started early in life. When he stopped laughing, he jogged a little toward her and whispered loudly, “So have you ever seen his face?”

Her face fell into a solemn mask, and she whispered back, “You know, I don’t even think his own father ever saw his face.”

“Whoa,” Naruto whispered in awe. To think, Kakashi hadn’t even allowed his own _family_ to see-

“Idiot,” Sasuke muttered in front of them, disrupting his thoughts.

Naruto whipped his head around. “What did you say, bastard?!”

“I said,” Sasuke spoke up, “That you’re an idiot, idiot.”

“What the hell, bastard?!”

Fumiko laughed at them, catching Naruto’s attention and diverting it from a brewing fight. “I’m sorry, Naruto-kun, I was only kidding.” When he pouted at her, she continued, “I couldn’t resist. No, I haven’t seen his face, but I’m sure his father did.”

“That was mean, Fumiko-chan.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be so gullible, moron.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be such a bastard, bastard.”

Sasuke glared at him, and he stuck his tongue out, returning his attention to Fumiko. “You know, Fumiko-chan, I’ve always wanted to ask about Kakashi-sensei’s dad, but I never dared. Do you… do you know about him?”

“Hm,” she answered as she folded her hands into her kimono sleeves. “He was known as the White Fang, a revered shinobi across all nations, but he died in disgrace.”

“Why?”

Fumiko’s lips thinned, a quirk that Naruto was learning to recognize as a sign of anger. “Perhaps they don’t speak of it in Konoha anymore, but Hatake-san abandoned a mission to save his teammates, and he was vilified for it. Eventually, the shame caused Hatake-san to take his own life.”

“That’s awful,” Naruto said quietly. He peeked up at Fumiko, taking in her thin lips. “Are you… also upset with Kakashi-sensei’s father?”

She blinked at him. “Oh, no, Naruto-kun. I admired Hatake-san very much, even more so after he died. I used his principles to guide my own, and… I, more than anyone maybe, understand what he must have gone through,” she ended on a whisper.

“Hatake-san changed after his father died,” she continued, “And the last time I saw him, he was ANBU and taking on one dangerous mission after another, with no regard to his own safety. To hear that he took on a genin team, saved the world, and even became Hokage… well, it’s almost like we’re talking about two different people!”

“Heh,” Naruto said, rubbing his finger under his nose. “I’d like to think I had something to do with all that. Reforming loners seems to be what I do best!”

Sasuke snorted. “Understatement of the century.”

“What?!”

“It was a compliment.”

“It sure as hell didn’t sound like one!”

Fumiko laughed softly as they continued to bicker, and then Naruto caught the shift of the shadows in the trees and sent a look Sasuke’s way, knowing he also saw the coming attack. They continued to talk, shifting slightly into defensive positions, and Naruto noticed how Fumiko, seeing how they moved, immediately took up a guarded position between and slightly behind them without them having to tell her.

The attack came swiftly, but they were prepared, and Naruto and Sasuke dispatched the bandits quickly – because that’s what they were, robbers, not trained shinobi. As Naruto finished tying up the last bandit, he shot a smile over Fumiko’s way. “I guess these roads aren’t exactly safe either, but it’s just some thugs out for money, I guess.”

“Hm,” she answered as she dug around in her pouch.

“You should really be more aware of your surroundings, idiot.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Allow me, Sasuke,” Fumiko said as she unfurled a scroll with her left hand. Out of it popped a sword that she caught with her right and brought it to rest at her left hip. Naruto watched, entranced, as he felt her chakra flow into the sheath and then as she unsheathed the sword at lightning speed, sending the blade _hard_ into the dirt road. Her chakra was sent deep into the ground, and the road exploded in front of them, sending dirt, rocks, and… men flying into the air. Naruto blinked as he jumped out of the way, wondering what just happened, and watched as Sasuke effortlessly picked the men out of the air, one after the other, and threw them to the ground near the other bandits.

As everything eventually settled back down on the ground, Naruto moved to assist Sasuke in tying the others up, noting that they were rogue ninja, which would explain how they were able to hide underground. Once that was done, he turned to Fumiko, awe shining in his eyes.

“That was so cool! I’ve never seen anyone do that with a sword before!”

She smiled as she resealed the sword in her scroll. “Well, that was more chakra-fueled than anything, but it can be done by sword alone, if the wielder has the strength and stamina.”

“Ah! I’ve seen that! Asuma-sensei used wind chakra with his knives to make them cut deeper.”

“Yes, that sounds the same. I channeled earth chakra into Kogarasu to cut deep into the road.”

Naruto threw an excited glance Sasuke’s way and saw that he was trying to hide his interest in the topic. He turned back to Fumiko. “That is so cool! Maybe you could teach me! Oh! Maybe we could talk to Kakashi-sensei about you teaching everyone how to use swords!”

“Well, anything is possible,” she said. “What are we going to do with the bandits?” She nodded her head in their direction.

“I’ll send a hawk ahead of us and have ANBU come pick them up,” Sasuke said as he summoned a small hawk and bent down to pull a piece of parchment and a brush from his pack. Naruto watched as he wrote the brief message, wondering how much effort it must have taken to learn to write with his right hand; though, maybe not a lot, as he’d been able to use Kusanagi with both his left and right arms.

When he was done, he attached the missive to the hawk’s leg and sent it on its way. Then Naruto and Sasuke moved the bandits within the shade of the trees, and Sasuke cast a glamour to hide them from prying eyes. ANBU would be able to find them, no problem.

They started on their way again, in silence at first, but then Naruto caught sight of Sasuke slowly making his way to Fumiko’s side and silently willed Sasuke to start a conversation with her.

“Fumiko-oba-san, Mifune told us you were a kenjutsu master.”

“I am still a kenjutsu master,” she replied. Naruto turned around to watch the conversation. “I notice you have a sword; not many shinobi use them.”

“Hn.” Naruto gave Sasuke a bland look, which Sasuke caught and gave Naruto a glare in return. But he made an effort to continue. “Orochimaru used a sword,” he said, which explained everything if one was privy to why Orochimaru had wanted Sasuke with him. “This was his sword, now mine, Kusanagi.”

“A sword of legend,” Fumiko murmured.

“Kogarasu is also a sword of legend,” he returned.

“Hm.”

Naruto tried hard not to roll his eyes at the stilted conversation; at least they were trying. Maybe he’d just help them out a little. “Hey, Fumiko-chan, I think Sasuke does something similar with his sword, using his lightning chakra to create a really long sword.”

“Really?” She looked at Sasuke. “I’d like to see that sometime. I can’t use lightning chakra myself, but it could be useful to see.”

He nodded, and if Naruto didn’t know any better, he thought he could see a slight blush.

Sasuke cleared his throat quietly. “What other chakra can you channel into your sword?”

“Well, I use Kogarasu for earth and wind techniques, but I use Kogitsune for my fire techniques.” She tilted her head slightly. “I imagine things will be fairly busy when we get back, but when it slows down, I would be more than happy to show you.”

“I’d like that.”

Naruto beamed at them, and they continued the journey talking about jutsu and Naruto’s friends, and how much ramen he was going to eat when they finally returned home.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you... _Rurouni Kenshin_ , yo. Can anyone name the move she uses? LOL And family feels are upon us (at least I hope so!).


	5. Chapter 5

Hinata breathed in and out deeply before calling her chakra to her fists and forming the lion heads for her signature move of the Gentle Fist. She called forth her Byakugan and began a series of hits against the training logs set up on the field, focusing more on speed and accuracy to avoid destroying them. Not that destruction was anything new to this training field, since it was the regular stomping grounds of the former team 7.

The thought of Naruto had Hinata smiling as she wound out of her initial attack, but it was chased away by a frown when thoughts of Naruto led to thoughts of Naruto’s best friend, whom Hinata had promised her father she would marry if Sasuke so chose.

She sighed as her concentration was shot, and she let her chakra dissipate. Naruto and Sasuke had been gone a while, but no one knew when they were going to return; in fact, Sakura had been the only one who even knew that they’d been assigned to a mission, but even she didn’t know the parameters – just that the Hokage sent them to get something.

She could tell that her father was anxiously awaiting Sasuke’s return so that the clan heads could implement their plan, but she hoped Sakura would have some time to talk to him before that.

Hinata looked down at the ground and found a pretty flower trying to grow in the harsh environment of Training Ground 3. She squatted and wrapped her arms around her knees.

Of course, she was also hoping to speak to Sasuke herself before the meeting with the clan heads. After her talk with Sakura, she realized that Sasuke might need convincing from an outside source to choose his friend and teammate as his wife. Or at least she wanted to get a read on how he felt about all of this. 

It really was horrible, what the clan heads wanted to do. If she had still been the Hyuuga heir, or if Neji had still been alive, maybe they could have talked some sense into her father.

Oh! Hanabi!

Maybe she could discuss this with Hanabi. As the heir to the main branch, her word would have some clout with their father.

A shadow fell over her and the flower, and she looked up to find Shikamaru regarding her with his normal, lazy gaze. She smiled as she stood up.

“Hello, Shikamaru-kun. How are you doing today?”

“I’ve been better. I have Ino screaming at me in one ear, and the Nara clan screaming at me in the other.”

Hinata frowned. “Is it about Sasuke-san?”

“Yeah. Ino tells me you’re willing to give up on Naruto to do what your family wants.”

Hinata stopped herself from flinching at the awfully direct statement. She squared her shoulders as she returned Shikamaru’s stare. “I could say the same about you, Shikamaru-kun. You seem to be doing this horrible thing because your family wants you to.”

Shikamaru frowned at her, but she wouldn’t apologize even if her cheeks were burning. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Shikamaru let out a tired, discontent sigh. “Sorry,” he said simply and shrugged his shoulders. “I was actually here to ask about the Jounin Exam.”

“Oh,” she said, biting her lip as she felt the tiniest bit of guilt for her harsh words. “What about it?”

“Hokage-sama wants me to get a head count on which chuunin will be participating this year. You in?”

Hinata bowed slightly. “I’m sorry, I haven’t yet decided.”

“You still have time. Just let me know by the end of next week.”

“Of course.” They stared at each other for a moment longer, and then Shikamaru turned to leave with a lazy wave of his hand over his shoulder. Hinata hesitated a moment before she called out to his retreating figure. Shikamaru turned back around, a brow raised in query. “I don’t like this plan. And I don’t think you do, either, Shikamaru-kun. If I can get my father to reconsider, will you also speak up?”

Shikamaru turned around to leave again, but said as he did, “I really wouldn’t worry about it, Hinata. I’m pretty sure Hokage-sama and Godaime-sama are going to stop it from happening anyway.”

Hinata’s brows furrowed as she contemplated what that could mean, but even long after Shikamaru was gone, she couldn’t figure out what Kakashi and Tsunade could possibly do to change the minds of the clan heads.

Well, whatever it was, she was willing to help. Clenching her fists in determination, Hinata quickly left the training ground and headed toward the tower.

~*~

Kotetsu and Izumo barely even glanced up as they walked through the gate, and if they weren’t even curious about the cloaked person traveling with him and Naruto, Sasuke had to question the wisdom of continuing to have those two on gate duty.

“Oh, man, so close!” Naruto said as he sped up slightly. “Ramen is calling my name!”

Sasuke heard Fumiko chuckle as she studied a flyer they passed advertising the popular fishcake topping that Naruto’s favorite restaurant had started serving ever since the war ended. “Quite literally, it would seem.” She turned her attention to Naruto. “How did you come about such a name anyway?”

Naruto smiled sadly at the ground. “Ero-sennin’s first book had a hero named Naruto, and my mom and dad really liked it.”

“That’s a nice story,” Fumiko said. “And Sasuke was named after an honored member of the Sarutobi clan.” She turned toward Sasuke and smiled at him. “Makes me wish I had been named in such a special way.”

“I like your name,” Naruto told her, and she reached up a hand to ruffle his hair.

Sasuke smirked slightly at Naruto’s complaint about her messing up his hair, her reply that it had already looked like a bird’s nest, and Naruto’s further complaint that he couldn’t return the favor because she was wearing a cloak. Fumiko’s soft laughter met his complaints.

Sasuke had to wonder how someone from the Uchiha clan could be so… maybe carefree wasn’t the right word, not when compared to the carefree-ness of Naruto, but it was something like that. She could laugh freely and even tell jokes, and it was like the Uchiha curse of hatred hadn’t even dared to touch her. Or maybe it had, but she’d had thirteen years away from it to cleanse herself. Sasuke had only been out of its grasp for one year.

But, then again, it wasn’t like it was hard to return to Konoha. The anger was there, still motivating him to fix himself and the shinobi way of life, but it was no longer all-encompassing, and he could even feel a calm about himself that he couldn’t remember ever having.

“Uzumaki-san! Uchiha-san! Welcome back!”

The greeting roused Sasuke from his thoughts, and he raised his head to see a fruit monger waving at them from behind his stall. When Naruto enthusiastically returned the greeting, the vendor picked up a piece of fruit and tossed it at Naruto, a welcome home gift, he said. Naruto thanked him, and they passed by.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” Naruto asked as he held the fruit away from him like it was poison. Sasuke eyed it from the corner of his eye and saw that it was a very ripe tomato.

“Give it to Sasuke, Naruto-kun,” Fumiko said softly. He shot his eye to her, but he couldn’t see her face in her cloak. Naruto reached across her and handed him the tomato, which he took slowly and then stared at as it sat innocently in his hand.

Maybe that was also why. The villagers didn’t hate him for everything he did. Well, the civilians, at least. He was sure a few of the shinobi still held a grudge. Obviously, or he wouldn’t be trying to stave off his own wedding.

“Something wrong, Sasuke?” Fumiko asked.

He brought the tomato down to his side and slipped it into the pouch hanging off his hip. “Nothing,” he said. “Just… not used to this. I didn’t expect this kind of reception from the villagers.”

“Why not?”

He pressed his lips together. “They act like they don’t know what I did.”

“Why would they?”

He looked over at her and blinked. “What?”

She scoffed at him. “Shinobi don’t exactly go around telling the civilians all of their dirty laundry, Sasuke, especially when there’s a gag rule in place. I’ll bet you anything that only the shinobi knew you’d left.”

He didn’t have anything to say to that, and Naruto was strangely silent. He finally settled on a “hn” and didn’t say anything else until they were just outside of the tower wall, where Fumiko stopped and stared at the mountain.

“Wow, he’s really up there,” she marveled, her hood vaguely pointed in the direction of Kakashi’s carven likeness. “And they carved his mask.”

“Can you _believe_ that?” Naruto fumed next to her. “The one time you’d think he’d show his face, but _no_ ,” he drawled, his brows furrowed and nose scrunched. Sasuke would have rolled his eyes at Naruto’s complaints, but… Kakashi’s mask had been the bane of their childhoods, and even now, he couldn’t deny the slightest bit of frustration that he _still_ didn’t know what the man looked like (though, part of the frustration was also at himself for still caring about it).

Fumiko laughed as she started walking again. “Well, Naruto-kun, you aren’t the first to be disappointed at not seeing his face. Many shinobi have tried and failed to see him without it.”

“Even you?” Sasuke found himself asking.

“No,” she said. “Not me. I spent my time… on another tack.” Her voice sounded decidedly evil.

“What did you do?” Naruto asked.

“If I get the opportunity, I’ll show you,” she replied.

Sasuke didn’t know what to make of that, and apparently neither did Naruto, so they both quietly trailed behind her as Fumiko confidently navigated her way into the tower and to Kakashi’s office. They met Shikamaru on the way, who only raised an eyebrow and followed Fumiko with his eyes as she passed him without so much as acknowledging his presence. 

When it looked like she was just going to breeze right through the ANBU guards standing outside Kakashi’s office, Naruto quickly ran in front of her and asked them to open the door. They did so, and then they were standing in front of Kakashi’s desk as he slowly set down his brush and stared at them.

“Hey, Kakashi-sensei, we’re back and come bearing Uchiha!” Naruto beamed at him. 

Fumiko reached up and carefully pulled the hood of her cloak down. “Hokage-sama,” she said quietly, bowing before him. “I am immensely grateful to be home, and I thank you for your summons. Sasuke and Naruto-kun have informed me of the situation, and I am at your service.”

Sasuke tried very hard not to smirk at the look of unease on Kakashi’s face. The man was always somewhat ill at ease with the authority and responsibility that had been foisted on him, so this much formality probably made him squirm. It even sounded like Naruto was trying not to laugh out loud.

“That, uh, that’s not necessary, Uchiha-san. Please,” Kakashi said, his hand vaguely gesturing her to straighten up and relax. He stood up and gestured to the left. “Why don’t we go sit in my receiving room? Naruto, please have Shikamaru bring tea.”

Naruto turned to exit the office, grumbling under his breath, and Kakashi moved from behind his desk and over to the sitting room. Sasuke moved to follow, and as he did, Fumiko gave him a look with an arched brow that he interpreted as _watch this_. Intrigued, he followed Fumiko into the sitting room and sat beside her on one of the couches as she sat across from Kakashi after removing her cloak.

“I trust your journey was pleasant,” Kakashi said as he leaned back and crossed his right leg over his knee.

“As pleasant as could be expected, Hokage-sama. It even had a smidgen of excitement when we were accosted by bandits and rouge ninja.” Fumiko smiled as she dipped her head.

“Yes, I heard about that from the ANBU that intercepted your hawk. They tell me that the road where they found the prisoners was completely obliterated, just strewn rocks and ripped earth. Don’t you think that was a little much, Sasuke?” Kakashi asked him.

“Don’t look at me,” he replied, as Naruto returned with Shikamaru. He watched Naruto take a seat next to Kakashi, across from him, and Shikamaru set the tea on the table. He didn’t miss Kakashi’s eyes studying Fumiko a little more closely after his comment.

“I hope you brought the good stuff for our guest,” Kakashi said.

Shikamaru clicked his tongue as he poured tea for Fumiko and set the cup in front of her. “I’ve brought your favorite, Hokage-sama, but just to let you know, this is the last of it. You’d better savor it while you can.”

“Thank you, Shikamaru.” Shikamaru flit his eyes to Fumiko, but no one offered an introduction, so with a tired sigh, he left the room. Kakashi cleared his throat and reached for his cup, bringing it up slightly to sniff at the aroma before setting it in his lap. “So, Uchiha-san, Naruto and Sasuke have filled you in, you say?”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” she answered, her eyes fixed on Kakashi’s face. “I have learned that, despite clearing my nephew of all charges, he is to still be treated by his elders as a threat, to be bartered about and forced to serve like chattel.” She brought her cup to her lips, taking a small sip as she watched Kakashi shift slightly in his seat.

Kakashi balanced his cup in the cradle of his thighs and brought his hands up placatingly. Sasuke tried not to smirk at the slightly nervous squint of his eyes. “Maa, maa, Uchiha-san. Please rest assured that I am not one of those people, though I don’t think it’s quite as dire as you paint it.” He sighed and set his hands down, one grasping the rim of his tea cup. Sasuke noticed that it was still full. Usually, it would be half gone already without him knowing how.

“Of course, Hokage-sama. You would not have brought me back if you were one of them.” She smiled sweetly, her eyes still intense on Kakashi.

“Exactly.” Kakashi smiled, his fingers twitching the slightest bit on his cup. “So, this is going to happen fairly fast. The clans have asked for a formal meeting with Sasuke, which I put off with this mission, so it can’t be put off anymore. The meeting will be tomorrow, and Tsunade-sama and I will introduce you as the head of the Uchiha clan.”

Fumiko’s brow furrowed slightly. “That is fast. I’m afraid I don’t have anything to wear for such an occasion. I guess I’ll have to stop by a store this evening.”

“We’ll take you, Fumiko-chan!” Naruto piped up.

“Thank you, Naruto-kun,” she said smiling, but her eyes were still on Kakashi. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at that, finally noticing the slight tick in Kakashi’s brow and how he still hadn’t drunk any of his tea.

Sasuke’s eyes widened the slightest bit. Fumiko wasn’t staring intently at Kakashi but at Kakashi’s _face_. Though she continued to drink her tea and animate her speech with hand movements, her eyes were trained on Kakashi’s face, making it impossible for the man to do his sleight-of-hand and drink his tea.

 _This_ was what she meant, and Sasuke found himself keeping a feral grin at bay. While Kakashi pissed people off by eating and drinking speedily when they weren’t looking, Fumiko was purposefully not looking away, never giving Kakashi the opportunity to do it.

Kakashi suddenly chuckled and set his now cold tea on the table. “You haven’t changed, Uchiha-san. We didn’t interact that much as children, but when we did, you were the only one to best me in this.”

Fumiko laughed quietly and finally looked away from his face. “You exaggerate, Hokage-sama.”

“Can you boys believe that I never got to eat or drink when Uchiha-san hung out with us? Though it wasn’t often.”

“You could have always lowered your mask, Hokage-sama.”

“Where would the fun be in that, Uchiha-san?”

“What the heck’s going on?” Naruto interjected.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at him. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Well, I think we’re good for now. Uchiha-san, Sasuke, you can have the extra quarters in the residence until we can get you squared away somewhere,” Kakashi said as he stood. He cast a mournful glance at his cup of tea.

Fumiko stood, grabbed her cloak, and bowed her head. “That is much appreciated, Hokage-sama.”

“Please, Uchiha-san, that isn’t really necessary, being that formal when it’s just us.”

Fumiko pursed her lips slightly. “Okay, Hatake-san. I understand.”

“Close. Try ‘Kakashi.’”

“Absolutely not,” Fumiko said as she turned and headed back into his office and to the door. Sasuke and Naruto hurried after her, Kakashi bringing up the rear, hands in his pockets. “Honestly, Hokage-sama,” she said as she opened the door and stepped out into the hall. 

“The meeting is tomorrow morning, eleven. Tsunade and I would like the opportunity to debrief you beforehand, so could you be here an hour before that?” 

“And what time will you be showing up, Hokage-sama?” Fumiko asked.

Kakashi blinked at her and then chuckled. “I’ve gotten a little better at that, Uchiha-san.” He ignored Sasuke and Naruto’s snorts of derision and looked around. “Shikamaru?” After a minute, Shikamaru came walking lazily over to them, his hands in his pockets and his brow arched in question. “Please show Uchiha-san and Sasuke to the extra quarters in the residence.” 

Sasuke watched Shikamaru’s eyes widen slightly as he turned his gaze to Fumiko. Then he sighed and smiled slightly. “Tch.” He cocked an eyebrow at Kakashi. “Well played, Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi smiled. “Well, have a good evening, Uchiha-san. Shikamaru and I will see you in the morning.” With that, he went back into his office, the door closing behind him.

“This way,” Shikamaru said, and he turned and led them down the hall.

“Heya, Fumiko-chan,” Naruto said as he stepped up to her side. “I’m going to head back to my place and get cleaned up, but then we can go out and get you some clothes. And ramen.”

“Don’t force her to eat ramen, moron.”

“I’m not forcing her, bastard!”

“Boys,” Fumiko interrupted. “Ramen will be fine. Thank you, Naruto-kun. I’ll be ready in about half an hour.” She turned a smile Sasuke’s way. “You don’t have to join us, Sasuke.”

“Hn.” Like hell he was going to sit in the Hokage residence by himself.

“Okay! Later, Fumiko-chan, bastard!” Naruto waved and ran ahead, disappearing around a corner.

They were silent for the rest of the walk to the residence. Sasuke became uneasy when he thought about being alone with his aunt. He knew he needed to talk with her and alleviate his anxiety, but he wasn’t exactly ready for a heart to heart.

“We’re here,” Shikamaru announced.

“Thank you, Nara-san.” Shikamaru turned to leave. “Oh, Nara-san, may I ask what kind of tea that was you served?”

Shikamaru raised a brow. “It’s a rose hip blend from the Land of Tea. It was a gift from a delegation, and the Hokage took a liking to it.”

Fumiko nodded. “It was quite good. Could you please give me the brand and shop it came from?”

Shikamaru nodded slowly. “I’ll get that for you.”

“Much appreciated, Nara-san,” Fumiko said smiling. Then she turned to Sasuke. “Let’s get cleaned up, Sasuke.”

He nodded and followed her into the residence, stopping in the common area as Fumiko toured the rooms. He looked around, never having seen it before, and it looked very much deserted. Then again, Kakashi was a bachelor, so he probably didn’t generate a “lived-in” atmosphere in such a large residence.

Fumiko returned, her cloak and pouch no longer with her. “There are enough empty rooms to take your pick, Sasuke. But tomorrow after the meeting, we can go out and find some other situation. I’d also like to survey the Uchiha grounds.”

Sasuke suppressed a flinch. He should have known that was coming. “There’s not much. Just the shrine. Everything else was destroyed in the siege.”

Fumiko nodded. “I figured as much. But I’d still like to survey the ground and start the plans for rebuilding.”

Sasuke blinked. “You want to rebuild the Uchiha compound?”

She shrugged. “Maybe not the whole compound. Just someplace we can live, perhaps.”

Sasuke glanced over her shoulder. “I haven’t lived there since… they all died.”

He continued to look behind her as she came closer and pulled him into a gentle hug. “Okay. You don’t have to live with me. Or I don’t have to live there. We can always put the grounds to some other use.”

Sasuke felt himself relax at her words. “Okay.” She squeezed him slightly and let go. He wasn’t completely against living at the compound again. Certainly, all the physical reminders had been obliterated by Akatsuki.

Fumiko retreated to one of the rooms. Sasuke could settle in later. He stepped further into the residence and sat on a couch. After about ten minutes, Fumiko returned, and Sasuke blinked at her in wonder. She looked like… a shinobi. Her outfit was reminiscent of what Sakura wore when they were genin, but a lot more… adult: skin-tight, black shorts that went to mid-thigh, with mesh cutouts up the side of the thighs; a sleeveless and short blue qipao that hugged her torso, with a high, tight collar and keyhole cutout, as well as mesh cutouts at her hips; standard sandals, and her hair was up in high ponytail that trailed to her lower back.

“Much better,” she said as she walked toward him.

“That doesn’t much look like samurai apparel.”

She laughed as she sat down next to him on the couch. “True. But I needed something other than my chuunin uniform to practice my taijutsu. I will admit I got quite a few looks – of differing variety – but I wasn’t about to punch and kick in kimono or hakama.” She looked at him for a moment. “Sasuke, I’ve had the feeling that you’ve been wanting to ask me something.”

He looked down at his lap as he shrugged. “I guess I do, but I’m not… ready to ask.”

She nodded. “Okay. I’m available whenever.” She twisted so that she sat sideways on the couch, her left leg curled up in front of her. “If I may, I have a couple of questions of my own.” Sasuke nodded. “What happened to Hatake-san’s Sharingan?”

Sasuke blinked at her and remembered that his and Naruto’s relations of the war had left out a few minute details. “Madara took it so that he could get his Rinnegan back from Obito.”

She nodded, a bit of sadness coloring her dark eyes. “May I see your Rinnegan, Sasuke?”

He tensed. He’d gotten used to its presence, but he knew it was a symbol of power that could frighten people and that also made him a target for belligerent shinobi unhappy with this new alliance (or just unhappy with him). It was a gift and a curse, he was coming to find, but this was his aunt who seemed to take many things calmly and coolly over the past several days.

He nodded slowly and watched as her right hand reached up and moved his hair from in front of his eye. Her face made no visible changes as she looked, but he thought he saw more sadness and a tiny bit of awe in her eyes. He was not a stranger to awe; he’d been subjected to such looks throughout his childhood from the girls and some guys in the Academy. But the sight of awe coming from someone who looked very similar to his father – from whom he’d received little emotion – had his heart beating a little faster. 

Fumiko’s hand retreated, and his hair fell back in front of his eye.

“Have you had any opportunities to train with this?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No. I adapted quickly to it during the war, but as I was imprisoned soon after and then left immediately when I was released, I’ve only practiced sparingly on my own.”

She nodded. “Then we shall train you in its use. A weapon is dangerous to both friend and foe when the wielder is unused to its nuances.” She smiled a little crookedly. “Of course, it’s going to be trial and error, and it could be that we never uncover all of its secrets.”

“Hn.” He smirked. “We better go meet the idiot.”

Fumiko clicked her tongue as she stood. “Do you two ever call each other by your names? Such children,” she admonished, but her tone was light and a bit playful as she walked to the door.

“If he ever stopped acting like an idiot, I might start calling him by his name,” he said as he stood and joined her.

“Then I guess if you ever stop acting like a bastard, he’d call you by your name?” She flashed him a quick smirk before exiting the residence.

“Tch, never going to happen,” he mumbled under his breath. Naruto practically _lived_ to call him a bastard.

~*~

Sakura had heard through the grapevine that Sasuke and Naruto had returned from their mission, and even if it had been a long time since the three of them had been a team, she knew exactly where they would wind up. She stood waiting for them in front of Ichiraku, her hands clasped behind her as she contemplated the ground.

Hiashi had summoned her to the Hyuuga compound and informed her that her presence was requested at tomorrow’s meeting, which meant she had very limited time to speak to Sasuke. 

She heard Naruto’s animated chatter getting closer to the restaurant, and she smiled slightly that no matter how much some things changed, some didn’t. But then she also heard someone respond, but it certainly wasn’t Sasuke. Sakura looked up to see Naruto, Sasuke, and… someone she didn’t know approaching.

Naruto saw her first and waved cheerfully. “Sakura-chan, we’re back!”

She lifted her hand and waved back slightly. “I see that, Naruto.” The three stopped in front of her. “Hello, Sasuke-kun.” He murmured a greeting in return. Her eyes slid to the third person, perusing her up and down and blushing just slightly at her outfit and her… attributes. Why couldn’t she have developed like other kunoichi seemed to have?

The woman was slightly shorter than both Naruto and Sasuke, but she seemed taller than Sakura. The woman raised a brow in query. She tilted a look up at Sasuke, who bowed his head briefly.

“This is Haruno Sakura.”

The woman turned a smile on Sakura. “Oh, it’s very nice to meet you.” She bowed, which confused Sakura, as she expected the normal handshake. “Naruto-kun and Sasuke have told me a lot about you, and I am very impressed by your accomplishments.”

Sakura acutely noticed the lack of honorifics for Sasuke, and her slight pleasure at the compliment was overshadowed by sudden worry. Who was this person to Sasuke?

“Well,” she finally replied, “At least they’ve only been saying good things about me.”

The woman laughed. “From what I hear, speaking ill of you can land a man in the infirmary.”

Sakura clenched her teeth and shot a glare at Naruto, who choked off a muffled giggle and looked anywhere but at Sakura. “Good to know,” she bit out.

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto whined. “I was only saying that I keep learning the hard way to think before I speak!”

Sasuke’s snorted laugh informed everyone of how well he thought Naruto had learned that lesson so far, and Sakura’s fist clenched with the urge to smash.

Naruto paled and pointed a finger at Sasuke. “The bastard didn’t disagree!”

“Don’t bring me into this, moron.”

“Boys.” The woman sighed as she rested her hands on her hips. “Are we going to eat, or are you going to squabble like children?”

“We’re going to eat, Fumiko-chan!” Naruto said enthusiastically. He stuck his tongue out at Sasuke and entered Ichiraku, yelling out a greeting and an order in one breath.

So, her name was Fumiko? Sakura frowned at the thought that no one, the woman included, had thought to introduce her.

“Will you be joining us, Sakura-chan?” Fumiko asked, a smile on her face.

Sakura shook her head. “Ah, no. I had thought to borrow Sasuke-kun for a minute.” She looked at Sasuke. “May I speak with you?”

Sasuke frowned, but he nodded his head minutely. “Please go on ahead,” he said to Fumiko, moving his arm from beneath his poncho to usher Fumiko in. Once she had joined Naruto, Sasuke motioned for Sakura to lead the way, so she turned to walk next to him and led them away from the restaurant.

“So, who was that, Sasuke-kun?” She looked up at him, noticing the frown on his face at her question. She braced herself for him to say it wasn’t any of her business.

“Her name is Fumiko. We were sent to Iron to return her to Konoha.”

Sakura blinked, not having expected an answer. She smiled as she hummed. “So, she’s the thing that Kakashi-sensei needed retrieved. She doesn’t look anything like I would expect a samurai to look.”

Sasuke smiled the slightest bit, she was sure. “I had a similar thought. But she’s a Konoha chuunin.”

“What?” Sakura blurted, quickly placing her hands over her mouth. She looked around, but traffic was thin, and no one was paying them any mind. She lowered her hands and cleared her throat. “Sorry. I was just a little surprised. She doesn’t look familiar.”

Sasuke shrugged. “She’s been in Iron for the past thirteen years, on a mission.”

Sakura’s eyes were wide as she contemplated that. A thirteen-year-long mission – what would that be like, to be gone from home for so long? She looked over her shoulder, though Ichiraku was long-since out of sight.

Eventually, Sasuke stopped and turned to her. She stopped, too, and looked up at him in question. “What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?”

“Oh,” she said, bringing her hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked around and spotted a bench, as they’d walked closer to one of the parks. She motioned over to it. “Can we sit?” He nodded and followed her to the bench, sitting down next to her, but with some space between them.

She looked down at her lap, her hands fisted on her thighs in nervousness. Her heart was pounding like crazy, and it was only her knowledge of medicine and the human body that convinced her that Sasuke surely couldn’t hear it.

“Sakura,” Sasuke prodded quietly.

She swallowed and looked up, but not at him. “Hyuuga-san summoned me today and told me that I was a candidate for your bride.” Sasuke didn’t say anything, so she continued. “Ino told me who else has been chosen, and I… I just wanted to talk to you before you have to make a decision.”

She paused and swallowed again, trying to find whatever courage she could. “Sasuke-kun,” she started softly, finally looking at him to see his eyes firmly on her. “I love you, Sasuke-kun. I’m _in_ love with you. And I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

She exhaled, one long breath that took with it her anxiety. The big part was finally over. Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she smiled at him. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know, wanted to actually say it. I understand if you have reasons to choose someone else, but I wanted to let you know that I’m here for you. I want to be a friend and support you in your decision, and if… if it turns out that I can’t be your partner in life, I want you to know that I’ll still love you and be your friend.”

Sasuke lowered his eyes and cleared his throat. “Thank you, Sakura.”

She wasn’t sure why he was thanking her, but at least he wasn’t outright rejecting her. She nodded and turned her eyes away, too, the atmosphere a little awkward.

“I should get back,” Sasuke said as he stood. When he didn’t immediately walk away, Sakura looked up at him. “Would you like to join us?”

She was shocked at the invitation, but she shook her head. She had some patients to look in on before she could go home and get as much rest as she could before tomorrow’s meeting. “No, thank you, Sasuke-kun. I’ll just see you in the morning.”

He nodded slightly and walked away, heading back toward Ichiraku. Sakura sighed as she looked up, the darker shades of night just beginning to crawl across the sky as the sun set. She’d said what she had to say, and tomorrow, her dream may or may not come true. Maybe if she looked long enough, she’d see a shooting star.

She smiled sadly at her thoughts and stood to return to the hospital.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, looking back on my body of work, I really think that might have been the first traditional love confession I've ever written. And... I hope it was okay. I'm not a fan of canon!Sakura, but I also don't want to write her the same way Kishi and others who don't like her have. Meh. The one that might be harder is Hinata's. *is nervous*
> 
> Anyway, thanks for the great feedback! I'm glad the story is being enjoyed. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Sasuke’s eyes popped open, his heart racing and his lungs greedily pulling in air. He knew he hadn’t screamed, but the sound was right there in the back of his throat, crawling its way up and looking for an exit. He tried to calm both his breathing and his heart and tried to wipe his mind of the afterimages of his dream. He started to panic slightly when it didn’t seem to be working. He knew that panic didn’t help in these situations, but something had a hold of his mind, and it wouldn’t let go.

He didn’t know if it had been minutes or seconds since he’d woken, but suddenly, his door was pushed open, and Fumiko sat on his bed, her hand coming up to cover his forehead.

“Your body is in distress,” she murmured. Her hand moved to his chest, lying motionless atop his borrowed shirt, and he felt a warmth suffuse his torso and flow to his extremities. It felt a lot like when Sakura used her medical ninjutsu, but Fumiko’s hand wasn’t glowing.

He felt his heart rate slow to normal and his breathing cease to be labored. His mind became calm. Fumiko removed her hand and lay it in her lap. Sasuke moved his eyes in her direction and followed the trail of her long braid over her shoulder.

He took a deep breath. “How did you know?”

She pursed her lips before answering, “I sensed the increased speed of your blood flow, indicating an accelerated heart rate. It was not dangerously high, but it was getting there.” She looked down at her hands. “Bad dream?”

He didn’t answer, but he felt it was more than obvious.

“Was it because I mentioned rebuilding the compound?”

He shrugged.

“I get that. Associated thoughts and everything.”

He frowned. It wasn’t entirely about the compound. He sat up and shifted until he was leaning against the headboard. He didn’t really feel like talking about the dream. Instead, he nodded at her hand and asked, “How did you do that? Are you a medic?”

She only stared at him for a moment, a frown tilting down her lips. She inhaled and exhaled through her nose, her eyes closing briefly, before she shrugged. “No, not really. I have not trained to heal.”

Sasuke tilted his head in question. “Then…”

“I have long studied anatomy and physiology and use it to suit my needs,” was her cryptic remark. Sasuke got the feeling she didn’t want to discuss it, so he looked away from her toward the window where streaks of moonlight found their way around the curtains. She cleared her throat, regaining his attention. “Are you all right, Sasuke?”

He scowled down at the bed covers. “It was just a dream. I’m not a child.” Fumiko didn’t respond, but she didn’t move to leave either. The scowl smoothed out, and Sasuke bit his lip slightly. “It’s a lot of things,” he found himself admitting.

“Like?” she urged quietly.

He didn’t really want to elaborate. Instead, he asked something else that had been bothering him. “How come you didn’t come back? Did you know about what happened?”

She was quiet a moment before a small, sad smile flitted at her lips. “You know, the world is a lot bigger than the hidden villages think.” She turned her eyes to the window. “The Uchiha name may be widely known in the shinobi world, but there are so many towns and villages and hamlets in this world who wouldn’t know an Uchiha from a rock. And the same could be said for the samurai world.” She turned her eyes to him again. “It was only when rumors of two men named Uchiha crashing the Kage Summit reached us that the clan’s destruction was bandied about the rumor mill.”

Sasuke stared, wide-eyed. To hear that the event that had completely shattered his soul had gone completely unacknowledged by much of the world was… mind-boggling. It made him feel small, but somehow also relieved to know he wasn’t a complete pariah in the world.

“We may not see eye to eye on this point, Sasuke,” she continued, “But I could hardly abandon my mission on baseless rumors. But I did wonder and, fearing it was true, grieve and try to repent.” She seemed to be finished, but Sasuke could only blink at her. “Is that what you wanted to ask me earlier this evening?”

He shook his head slowly. He still didn’t feel ready to talk about it, but…

“When Naruto and I told you everything that happened, you didn’t even bat an eye.” Fumiko watched him calmly. “You’ve heard everything I’ve done – abandoned the village, tried to kill my former comrades, killed Itachi and Danzou, worked for Akatsuki and helped Madara, wanted to destroy the villages and kage and bijuu. I’ve done so many bad things in the name of Uchiha, and… you don’t care.”

Fumiko sighed. “It’s not that I don’t care, Sasuke. But I’ve already told you this: you chose to do those things, and you found justification to suit your actions. It’s not my place to judge you or to tell you that you were wrong. And, also, I think you’re already beating yourself up about them.” She reached up and smoothed her hand over his hair. “When you suppress feelings of guilt and fear, the mind finds ways to manifest them, like nightmares.”

“I’m not suppressing anything,” he ground out. “I acknowledge everything I did. But I was imprisoned for only a short while. I was pardoned, but not because they _trust_ me. And I traveled, trying to see the world and find my place in it. I just… don’t think I was gone long enough. The anger is still simmering beneath the surface, and so is the guilt. I haven’t _atoned_ for my sins. And everyone should hate me for what I’ve done. You should hate me.”

“I would never, my little prince.”

His breath hitched at the loving title, the one from when he was still innocent and his world whole. “Then you’re naïve.”

“You’re the last person to call others naïve, Sasuke.” Her lips twisted in a wry smile. “You can’t accept that others have forgiven you, so you can’t forgive yourself, don’t feel like you’ve atoned. You want to atone? Take the first step and accept that others have forgiven you. And I forgive you, if you need it.”

“You shouldn’t forgive me,” he practically snarled. Fumiko and Naruto were the _same_ , handing out forgiveness that he didn’t deserve.

She clicked her tongue. “I believe I also told you that forgiveness is mine to give, whether or not you accept it. Which you should,” she added with a sharp-eyed look. Then she looked down at her hands and sighed. 

There was silence between them for several minutes, which allowed Sasuke to catch on to something Fumiko had said earlier.

“What did you do that you need to repent?”

Fumiko blinked. “What?”

“Earlier. You said you grieved and tried to repent.”

“Oh.” She looked him in the eye, a hint of sadness lurking in the dark depths of her eyes. “I felt I needed to repent for not being there to stop it all.”

Sasuke choked on a sharp inhale. He coughed, his face red from effort and embarrassment. When he could breathe, he looked up at her, a small glare marring his features. “What makes you think you could have stopped anything?”

She dipped her head, perhaps to acknowledge his disbelief. “Maybe I couldn’t have. But I could have tried. I did not agree with Fugaku’s plan, but neither would I have let Itachi fulfill his mission. But instead of being here to face the council and my brother’s plans, I left the village to protect myself. I have spent the past decade hoping that I could be absolved of my selfishness.” She laughed pitifully. “I guess we’re the same, in that sense. So, I guess I should also be asking for your forgiveness, Sasuke.”

Sasuke wanted to laugh. To think she thought she could have prevented everything. He also wanted to cry, because maybe she could have. Or maybe she would have died that night, too. Or maybe she would have survived and been there to raise him, to help him develop in the Uchiha way, help him overcome Itachi, either physically or mentally. Perhaps even save Itachi.

But she had run, she said. From what? To protect herself, she said. Against whom? A threat that had her asking the Hokage to officially leave the village?

Regardless, none of this had been her doing. 

“Why do you think selfishness needs forgiveness? It’s human nature,” he said quietly.

“Why do you?” she returned. He frowned.

“I’m not looking for forgiveness.”

“Aren’t you?” He could only stare at her in confusion. “The _point_ of atonement is redemption and forgiveness, and it’s awfully conceited to think otherwise. If you are looking to _atone_ , you are seeking forgiveness, and I believe the forgiveness you need the most is from yourself. So, when you can forgive me for my selfishness, I expect you to forgive yourself for your own.”

He clenched his teeth, locking his jaw, and looked away from her.

She sighed. “Get some rest. Tomorrow will be trying.” She patted his leg and stood. “Goodnight, Sasuke.” She didn’t wait for his reply, just left his room as quickly as she had entered.

Sasuke scowled at the door. He wanted to tell himself that she didn’t know anything, but it sounded like maybe she did. She held guilt inside her, like he did, and it was only now that she had anyone to ask for forgiveness. And it was him, someone who didn’t feel he deserved forgiveness. So, how was he supposed to give it?

Letting out an angry sigh, Sasuke laid back down and tried to not think about anything.

~*~

Shikamaru had clicked his tongue exactly thirty-seven times since entering his office, and Kakashi thought it had to be some sort of record. He also was ignoring it like a pro, his eyes trained on his book and rereading some of Jiraiya-sensei’s most inspired passages. He even managed to ignore when Tsunade barged into his office, demanding to know why she hadn’t been informed that Naruto and Sasuke had returned the previous evening. Then she was grinding her fist into his desk, and the ominous creaking had him sighing and tucking his book away in a drawer.

“Calm down, Tsunade-sama. I asked that Uchiha-san come in early so that we would have the opportunity to talk with her before the meeting with the council. She should be here any minute.”

Tsunade grunted and stood straight, crossing her arms over her ample bosom. “Fine.” She tossed a glance at Shikamaru. “What’s Nara doing here?”

Shikamaru clicked his tongue (thirty-eight). “Well, since I found out about _Uchiha-san_ last night and figured out what you two have been planning, I thought there wouldn’t be a problem being here and helping you execute it.”

“Sasuke has good friends,” Kakashi said with a smile. “Even Hinata-chan was here yesterday asking how she could help.”

Shikamaru snorted. “Believe me – neither of us is doing this for Uchiha.”

Kakashi sighed and shook his head slightly. Why no one could take a joke around here…

Shikamaru gave him a lazy, narrow stare. “You know the council will require proof of who she claims to be.”

“We’ll handle that,” Tsunade said. Shikamaru shrugged. Tsunade nodded at Kakashi. “Speaking of, do you have the scrolls?”

“Yes, I have-” he started as he moved to open a drawer, but he was interrupted by the door opening to admit Sasuke and Fumiko. Sasuke was missing his travel poncho and the sash around his head, leaving him in his black, high-collared shirt, flak jacket, and blue pants, and his hair hung down around his face, covering the Rinnegan. And Fumiko… Kakashi stood as Fumiko made her way closer to his desk.

She wore a silk kimono of a dark blue material with a white obi and thin, red tie. Her dark brown hair was up in an intricate style that fanned out around her head, secured by silver kanzashi from which dangled small uchiwa charms. Her eyelids and lips were lightly painted in a red that matched the obi tie. No one in Konoha stood much on formality, except maybe the Hyuuga, so she made quite the sight.

She stopped before his desk and bowed. “Hokage-sama,” she greeted quietly.

Kakashi quirked a lip as he tried not to smile. “What happened to ‘Hatake-san’?” He couldn’t help the smile when her brow ticked at the question. He laughed quietly to himself. “Hello, Uchiha-san, Sasuke. Thanks for coming.” He gestured to Shikamaru and Tsunade. “This is Nara Shikamaru, the current head of the Nara clan, and Tsunade-sama, Godaime Hokage. And this,” he gestured to Fumiko, “Is Uchiha Fumiko, recently found head of the Uchiha clan.”

Fumiko turned and bowed to them. “Nara-san, Godaime-sama. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Shikamaru returned the bow, but Tsunade didn’t.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Tsunade said, striding past Fumiko and Sasuke into Kakashi’s sitting room. Rolling his eyes, Kakashi gestured for everyone to follow her, and they all settled on the couches for the coming discussion. Tsunade gave Fumiko a sharp stare. “The clan heads and especially the Elders aren’t going to accept this easily. Sasuke is a highly contentious topic in the village, and they won’t be happy that you’re here to derail this plan to fix the Uchiha situation. They will probably ask some probing questions, and Kakashi and I need to know the answers beforehand.”

Fumiko nodded. “I can understand Sasuke being a contentious topic, Godaime-sama, but let us not pretend that it matters to anyone outside of this morning’s meeting room. Further, he is not the first to have left this village, and he will not be the last. So, before we precede, I would appreciate it very much if you would stop talking about Sasuke as if he is a _malady_ you can’t seem to shake.”

Kakashi, momentarily disregarding his own surprise, watched as Tsunade bristled, Shikamaru straightened from his lazy slouch, and Sasuke actually allowed shock to show briefly on his face. Fumiko was an odd thing, Kakashi was coming to find – a strange mixture of Itachi’s diplomacy and calm and Fugaku’s brusqueness. She’d probably do just fine with the council.

“I don’t think he is,” Tsunade said stiffly.

“Of course, Godaime-sama,” she stated, though her tone was slightly condescending. “But I won’t allow it in any context. I just wanted that to be clear.” Fumiko calmly stared at Tsunade, but Kakashi could see the hard glint to her eyes.

“Got it,” Tsunade huffed. “Now, speaking of people who left, they are going to want to know about this mission that Sarutobi-sensei didn’t tell anyone about.”

“Which one?” Fumiko asked. That hard glint got harder, and Kakashi guessed the only one who didn’t know what she alluded to was Shikamaru.

“Yours,” Tsunade ground out.

Fumiko glanced down at her hands in her lap, the uchiwa chiming softly with the movement of her head. “There’s not much to know,” she said softly. “I asked him to send me from the village, and he did.”

“Why?” Tsunade asked. When Fumiko hesitated to answer, she continued, “Does it have anything to do with why you were removed from the main branch of the Uchiha clan?”

Fumiko looked up quickly, her eyes wide momentarily before she sighed quietly. “I guess you found the documents.” When Kakashi and Tsunade both nodded, Fumiko shrugged. “You could say they’re connected.” She cleared her throat.

“To understand what happened, I will have to explain what happened on my previous mission.” She inhaled softly. “My chuunin team was sent on a mission to retrieve critical intel on Iwa, which we acquired, but it was grueling. My teammates had very nearly depleted their chakra reserves, and Iwa shinobi were very close behind. And then one of them fell behind, the one with the intel, Yamanaka Ise.” She paused, her eyes moving to each of them to make sure everyone was clear why that was a problem.

“So, there was no scroll,” Shikamaru murmured. “Yamanaka had the intel in his mind.”

Fumiko nodded. “My teammate and the mission were in jeopardy. So, as I had the most chakra left, I did what I felt I should – I stalled the Iwa shinobi and allowed my teammates to escape.”

She stopped talking, and Kakashi had a feeling that this mission she was recalling was the one he’d mentioned to Tsunade, the one that had caused a commotion among the ranks.

“And?” Tsunade prodded ungently.

Fumiko looked up from where her eyes had fallen as she had trailed off. She straightened and cleared her throat again. “I was captured. I would have been questioned and killed outright, but they figured out I was Uchiha, so they held me for months.” Her eyes travelled to the window. “I eventually escaped, but I was badly wounded. I made my way back to Konoha, but even weeks after I healed, I was not cleared for duty. The shame of my captivity convinced the Uchiha elders to have Fugaku remove me from the main branch.”

“What was so shameful about it?” Shikamaru asked.

Fumiko turned a bleak smile his way and shrugged in a forcibly playful way. “It was a different time, Nara-san. And you know what they say: ‘Any Uchiha worth his salt would not have been captured,’ and ‘If she’d had the Sharingan, this would not have happened.’ You know, the usual.” She swallowed. “I was defective and damaged goods.”

Finally, Tsunade relented a bit, her demeanor somewhat softened. “So, you asked Sarutobi-sensei to send you from Konoha?”

Fumiko nodded. Kakashi guessed she was remembering something painful, as her posture was tense. Sasuke was looking at her like he wanted to do something, but he didn’t know what or how.

“No one knew _why_ I was banished from the main branch, but it was enough for my own clan to scorn me. It was… not pleasant. And I can admit that I was not strong enough to endure. So, I asked Sandaime-sama if there was some way I could leave the village but not… feel like I was running away, an official reason for leaving and not returning. And he delivered.” She grabbed Sasuke’s hand gently. “At that moment, he was my hero. So, it saddens me to know what he did a short time after.”

Kakashi cleared his throat, not wanting to go down that road right now. “Thank you for telling us that, Uchiha-san.”

She shrugged. “It’s actually common knowledge; well, my capture and banishment, anyway. The council should know that story. The issue will be proving that I wasn’t in the village.” _During the massacre_ was left unsaid.

Kakashi nodded. “We have that handled. Now we’d like to talk about the benefits of you being back.” She and Sasuke both raised a brow in query, and it was kind of funny to see, but Kakashi kept himself from laughing aloud. “Think of it as a trade. They think they’re offering this proposal to Sasuke for the sake of the village. Since we’re taking it away, we need to give the village something in return.”

“We’d like to know what skills you have that will be beneficial to the village,” Tsunade said. “Kakashi tells me that you’re a medic. I’ve never heard of an Uchiha trained as a medic.”

Fumiko looked at him in confusion before focusing on Tsunade again. “There must have been some misunderstanding. I have not been trained in the healing arts.” 

Tsunade looked at Kakashi with a raised brow, to which he said, “Ah, I do distinctly remember you offering to heal a wound I had.”

Fumiko blushed slightly and looked at her lap again. “That is to say, I can heal, a little bit, if I concentrate and have some time, but it’s nothing at the level of medic-nin.” She looked up. “But I am a katon master, as are all Uchiha, and I’ve trained in taijutsu a lot over the years. I am a kenjutsu master and use three chakra types.” She shrugged. “If that helps.”

Shikamaru sighed. “Well, other than the sword skills, that’s not really different from any other jounin. But I think having another to carry on the Uchiha line is good enough, and I can make sure the others agree with me.”

Fumiko narrowed her eyes at Shikamaru. “Excuse me, Nara-san – are you suggesting that I will be taking Sasuke’s place as a sacrifice to this village and will be forced to marry and procreate?”

The hairs on the back of Kakashi’s neck stood up as he felt her chakra roil. It wasn’t quite oppressive, as the Uchiha chakra tended to be, but he could tell it was powerful. Shikamaru didn’t move a muscle, but his skin had paled quite a bit.

Suddenly, the chakra dissipated, and Fumiko was smiling at them. “I’m just messing with you.” She laughed as she patted Sasuke’s hand with her free hand and then let it go and stood. “Were there any other questions? I was hoping to visit the restroom before the meeting.”

Kakashi nodded as he stood with Tsunade and Shikamaru. “We’re done for now. After the meeting, we have some things to discuss regarding the Uchiha assets, among other things.”

“Excellent,” she said and moved to leave the room. “Oh, I had a question myself,” she said, turning back to the group. “Hokage-sama, how many people know?” She didn’t specify, but Kakashi knew exactly what she was asking: _who knew about the order to kill the Uchiha?_

He sighed. “Well,” he drawled, bringing his hand up to scrub under his chin lightly. “The Elders, of course; Naruto, myself, and Tenzou; Tsunade; and Sasuke.” He paused. “And I guess Sasuke’s followers – Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo, if I remember correctly.”

She nodded. “Well, then this should be an interesting meeting.” She smirked and turned away again.

“Uchiha-san.” Shikamaru stepped up to her as she turned back toward the group. He handed her a slip of parchment. “The information you requested.”

Her eyes flitted to the parchment then back up at him, the black orbs conveying surprise and delight. “Thank you, Nara-san!” She crumpled up the parchment in her fist and then opened it, finger by finger, to show that it had disappeared. She winked and then resumed her exit.

When she was gone, Shikamaru turned to look at Kakashi, a brow raised in question. “What was she talking about?”

Kakashi said nothing, but Sasuke moved up to follow Fumiko out of his office. “That is none of your concern,” he said as he brushed past.

Kakashi sighed. “Well, you might put something together by the end of this meeting, if Uchiha-san’s smirk was any indication.” He was starting the get a headache. Why did he take this job again?

“Let’s get this over with, then,” Tsunade said and left his office, too. Shikamaru and Kakashi followed behind, and Kakashi only hoped Konoha was left standing when all was said and done. Hell hath no fury, after all.

~*~

Sakura brushed her hand nervously over her pink locks, whimpering slightly when it messed up her barrette. She fiddled with it, trying to get it back in place but only mussing her hair more. With a soft grunt, she pulled it out and finger-combed the strands into some semblance of order. 

Finally satisfied, she started smoothing over her dress, ironing out imaginary creases as she sat on her cushion waiting for Kakashi and Sasuke. She wasn’t really pleased with her choice of dress, but ever since she’d made chuunin, her money had gone more towards ingredients for medicines and food pills rather than clothes, and she didn’t have very many nice things to choose from. Her mother had offered to buy her something, but Sakura hadn’t wanted a reminder of this day if Sasuke didn’t pick her.

Hinata surprised her by reaching out to grab her hand and squeeze it. Sakura looked up, and Hinata smiled softly at her. “It’ll be all right, Sakura-san.”

Sakura let out a long breath and smiled back. “Thanks, Hinata.” She placed her hands in her lap and looked around. The clan heads were milling around on the other side of the room, slowly making their way to their cushions. Ino caught her gaze and waved, winking at her with a bright smile. Sakura waved back, but it was a little less enthusiastic.

Hiashi sat on the foremost cushion on that side, in close conversation with the Elders, who sat on cushions facing the room, just behind a lone cushion at the head – Kakashi’s seat. An empty cushion was on the other side, which Sakura assumed was for Tsunade.

On her side were the five cushions for the bride candidates. She and Hinata sat together at the end of the row, and three daughters from the merchant class sat on the others, nervously fiddling with their clothes and hair, like she had been. Hinata seemed to be the only one not nervous about what this meeting may bring. Or at least, she wasn’t showing it.

And in the middle of the room – a lone cushion, isolated and in a position to be looked down on. For Sasuke. 

Sakura frowned and felt a small pang in her heart. Not that she hadn’t already known it, but Naruto was absolutely right about all of this. It was sick and wrong, and if Sakura wasn’t so nervous, she might have been angry beyond words. She might have even stormed out on principle – and dragged Hinata with her – but that would have left Sasuke to face this on his own; and even if it was only as a silent sentinel, she would be here for Sasuke.

The door to the meeting room swung open, and Shikamaru stepped through the door and headed for his cushion next to Ino, followed by Kakashi, Tsunade, and… Sakura blinked. She had been expecting Sasuke, but she hadn’t seen him in a whole year before, and the brief times she’d seen him after he returned, he’d been in his traveling gear. Now she could really _see_ him, and he had certainly grown.

Kakashi and Tsunade took their cushions, but Sasuke… he sat to the side of and just behind the cushion meant for him, and a soft murmur rippled through the room.

“Good morning, all,” Kakashi said lightly as he adjusted the hat he was forced to wear today. “We’ll get started as soon as everyone is here.”

“What do you mean, Hokage-sama?” Hiashi asked, a confused frown on his face. “Everyone is here.”

“Hm. Well, we’re actually waiting for one more person.”

“Who would that be?” Koharu asked.

The door swung open again. “That would be me,” a light, amused voice answered, and Sakura saw Fumiko entering the room on Naruto’s arm.

The murmuring grew louder as Naruto led Fumiko to the cushion by Sasuke, and she eased down onto it. Naruto, after giving Kakashi a nervous wave, slowly sank down on her other side and just behind, in line with Sasuke. Sasuke gave Naruto a bland look, to which Naruto shrugged and gestured helplessly at Fumiko’s back.

“What is the meaning of this?” Homura demanded, a fierce glare – tempered by age – directed at Kakashi.

Kakashi cleared his throat. “We are called here this morning to discuss the clan heads’ request that Uchiha Sasuke further pledge his loyalty to Konoha by marrying one of its daughters and rebuilding one of the founding clans.” His eyes swept over the assembled group. “Sasuke, as a former missing-nin and in the last weeks of his probation, has declared that he is unable to deny this request.”

Sakura shot a glance at Sasuke. He was staring ahead, perhaps not even listening, resigned to this conclusion.

“As luck would have it,” Kakashi continued, his eyes narrowed as he grinned wide behind his mask, “The current Uchiha clan head has returned from a long mission and is denying the request on his behalf.”

The clan heads and Elders erupted in gasps and denials, save for Shikamaru, but Sakura could only stare in shock at Fumiko, for who else could she be but the clan head Kakashi mentioned?

As the Elders and Hiashi protested Kakashi’s words, Fumiko raised a hand and held it before her in a quiet demand for silence until all sound died down.

“Clan heads and Elders of Konoha, I, Uchiha Fumiko, sister to Uchiha Fugaku and direct blood relation to Uchiha Sasuke, greet you after a long mission abroad. I am deeply troubled by the issues that have arisen in my absence and assure you that I will do all in my power to rectify any perceived wrongs.” She bowed her head low, and the charms of her kanzashi chimed with the movement, seeming to echo in the silence.

“Perceived?!” Homura bellowed. “It is a known fact that Sasuke defected and joined Orochimaru!”

Fumiko’s eyes narrowed, a dark glare in her eyes, even as a tight smile lightly lifted her lips. “Honorable elder, let us not get into arguments over _who_ did _what_.” Her words were biting, though the meaning was lost on Sakura. “Let us just focus on the good that can still be done.”

“You can’t expect us to believe this claim, that you are an Uchiha!” Koharu spit out shakily.

“We can prove she is who she says she is,” Kakashi said calmly as he set two scrolls on the floor before him. “These are sealed Uchiha clan scrolls retrieved from the rubble of the Uchiha district, and only true Uchiha can open them.”

“I propose we have Ino enter her mind and confirm her identity,” Shikamaru spoke up. Kakashi and Tsunade looked at him sharply, but Sakura thought she understood his reasoning. While no one would outright accuse the Hokage of fraud, it wouldn’t stop the Elders from whispering it behind his back. Having Ino confirm her identity should prevent that.

“What an idea,” Kakashi said smoothly and wryly, and he gestured for Ino to step forward.

She did so, hesitantly, and Sakura – along with everyone else – watched avidly as she knelt before Fumiko, whispered a soft apology, and placed her hand on Fumiko’s forehead. After a couple of minutes, Ino let out a choked sob and retracted her hand, raising it with the other to hide her eyes as she cried.

“Ino,” Shikamaru said softly, halfway to standing in order to offer her comfort. But Ino quickly held out a hand, stalling him, as she wiped her face on her shirt sleeve.

“She’s for real,” Ino whispered hoarsely, staggering slightly as she stood and made her way back to her cushion. When she’d sat, she leaned her weight on Shikamaru and allowed more tears to trail down her cheeks.

Sakura stared at her in shock for a moment before looking at Fumiko once again. Her face, like Sasuke’s, was devoid of emotion, and Sakura had to wonder what dark secrets she held within her.

“This is impossible,” Hiashi finally said. “Where have you been?”

“As previously mentioned, I was on a mission. Sandaime-sama sent me to the Land of Iron over a decade ago, and I have only recently returned,” Fumiko replied calmly.

“I found the mission scroll myself and called her home,” Kakashi said, carelessly handing over a third scroll. Homura grunted as he grabbed it, unfurling it so that he and Koharu could determine its validity. If anyone could spot an authentic mission scroll from Hiruzen, it was probably one of them.

The clan heads began to whisper amongst themselves, though Hiashi was quiet and staring at the floor. Sakura could only stare at Fumiko, Sasuke, and Naruto – the latter of whom was smiling widely and leaning forward to say something in Fumiko’s ear – and dazedly think how easily this seemed to have come to a proper conclusion. 

Sasuke was free. Now, she had a real chance to get close to Sasuke and build a real relationship with him.

“Well, Hyuuga-san, unless you have something further, I think this meeting can be adjourned,” Kakashi said happily. Hiashi shook his head, and Kakashi clapped his hands together once. “Excellent. Then-”

“Hokage-sama, may I speak?” Fumiko interrupted him. At Kakashi’s nod, Fumiko bowed low from her seated position and then sat up straight. “I have not long been back, and Sasuke and Naruto-kun have informed me of a great many things I have missed. Konoha seems to have gone through much turmoil and loss, and I am grateful to all of you who have withstood the challenges and carry on. 

“And to you, honorable elders,” she said with one more, small bow. “I am at a loss for words at the _care_ and _consideration_ you have shown my clansmen while I have been away, and I just want you two to know that I, as Uchiha clan head and bound to repay all debts, am ready, willing, and able… _to return the favor_.”

Sakura felt a cold chill go up her spine at the words, without reason, and she furrowed her brow in thought. The words sounded genuine and grateful enough, but there was an undertone of something dark, malicious even, that belied that sentiment. The other clan heads had similar looks of confusion on their faces. Sasuke and Naruto had widened eyes as they gazed at her back, and when Sakura swung her eyes to the front dais… the Elders were tense and clutched their garments tightly, while Kakashi and Tsunade were evaluating Fumiko with narrowed, speculative eyes.

“Ah, thank you for that sentiment, Uchiha-san,” Kakashi eventually said. “All, we are adjourned. If I could have everyone with an Uchiha surname join me in my office?” He stood and strode from the room, Tsunade hot on his heels.

Sakura let her gaze wander back to the strange trio in the center of the room and watched kind of listlessly as Naruto stood to assist Fumiko up before Sasuke could. They were standing extremely close and whispering quietly to one another. Only here for two days, and Fumiko – _Uchiha-san_ – already looked so much closer to those two than Sakura ever thought she, herself, was…

“Come on, Sakura-san,” Hinata said gently, and Sakura startled and looked up to see her standing next to her and offering a hand up. Hinata smiled. “How about we get some tea?”

Sakura nodded and reached up to take Hinata’s hand, straightening her dress as she gained her feet. She looked up and saw the trio still whispering together, even though Sasuke and his aunt had been summoned to Kakashi’s office. Making a decision, Sakura said to Hinata, “One moment,” and strode over to them.

“Uchiha-san,” Sakura greeted when she was close. She noticed a few eyes settle on them as Fumiko turned to her. Sakura bowed. “I apologize that I didn’t know who you were last night and greet you properly.”

Fumiko blinked at her and then laughed. “What a silly thing you are, Sakura-chan. Don’t you worry about it! And now that I’ve been reintroduced to the clans, I won’t stand much on formality.”

Sakura smiled uncertainly. Fumiko was so different than Sasuke, it was a little odd. “Okay, um, Fumiko-san?” Fumiko smiled. Sakura cleared her throat, flitting her eyes to Naruto and Sasuke. “I know that you and Sasuke-kun have to go see Kakashi-sensei right now, but I thought that maybe you would all like to join me and Hinata for tea afterward. Or lunch.”

“Ichiraku?!” Naruto asked excitedly.

“Idiot,” Sasuke muttered.

“Boys.” Fumiko let out a sigh, and then she smiled at Sakura again. “Thank you for the invitation, Sakura-chan, but after we meet with Hokage-sama, Sasuke and I will be surveying the Uchiha grounds.” She paused. “Would you like to join us?”

Sakura blinked. “Eh?”

“Ah! We can have a nice picnic. Here.” She reached into her kimono sleeve and pulled out a wallet. “How about you and Hinata – was it? – go get lunch for five and meet us here. Then we’ll all go.”

“Sakura-chan!” She turned stunned eyes to Naruto. “Get Sai, too! We can introduce the rest of Team 7 to Fumiko-chan!”

“Well, sure,” Fumiko said. “Run along now, Sakura-chan. Sasuke and I will try to be quick.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, looking at Sasuke to make sure this was all okay with him. He merely shrugged his shoulders and placed his hand on Fumiko’s arm to urge her along. Fumiko excused them and turned with Sasuke to leave. Sakura just watched them leave, only slightly confused when Naruto followed them. It was starting to be second nature that everywhere that Sasuke went, Naruto was sure to go.

She startled again when Hinata gently touched her arm and quietly called her name. “Is everything okay?”

Sakura looked down at the wallet in her hand for a moment, and then she smiled. “I think so. But come on, Hinata! We’ve been invited to spend the afternoon with Uchiha-san, Sasuke-kun, and Naruto. We need to get lunch!”

Hinata’s eyes were wide when she looked at her, but the shy girl eventually smiled. “That sounds like fun.”

“Yeah,” Sakura said as she clenched the wallet in her hand and started out of the room. This was a perfect opportunity to start rebuilding her relationship with Sasuke, and she suddenly had a lot more hope than she’d had last night.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned.
> 
> So, I don't particularly see this story as being action-packed. It's more like a coming of age thing? You know, everything settling down and people figuring shit out. But... I could throw some devious intrigue in. Maybe.
> 
> One question I'm struggling with is: Who will realize his feelings first - Sasuke or Naruto? The answer can influence the flow of the story. If anyone has a preference, I'd be open to your vote.


	7. Chapter 7

Sasuke counted to fifty, calmly and slowly, as he, Naruto, and Fumiko exited the meeting room and made their way to Kakashi’s office. When he was sure no one was in hearing range, he edged closer to his aunt and whispered, “Oba-san, what did you just do?”

“Why, you’re so very welcome, Sasuke, that I expertly extracted you from that situation and any future plans the Elders may have for you,” she said with a feigned sweetness.

“Eh, I’m not sure I understand what just happened,” Naruto said uncertainly as he trailed behind them.

“Oh, Naruto-kun, what we were talking about earlier – so you think one of your frogs can send a message for me?”

Sasuke brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose and squeezed, and in the middle of Naruto’s enthusiastic response, he hissed, “Oba-san!” She sighed as she stopped and turned to face him. “I don’t know if you realized, but Kakashi was pissed when he left.”

She gave him a narrow stare. “You let me handle the Hokage.” With that, she turned on her heel and continued down the hall. They came to Kakashi’s office, and because the ANBU were absent today, she pushed her way through the door without preamble, Sasuke and Naruto right on her heels, only to be met by Kakashi’s steely gaze.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Kakashi asked.

“That seems to be the general consensus, Hokage-sama,” Fumiko said as she walked calmly to his desk, throwing a look at Sasuke.

“What possessed you to _threaten_ the Elders?!” he continued.

“I did no such thing!” she replied. “I merely said I was ready to return the favor of their treatment of my clansmen. That can hardly be considered a threat by any right-minded person.” She paused. “That being said, I have no control on how one interprets my statements, and if a certain _interpretation_ is fueled by a _guilty conscience_ , well…” she trailed off and shrugged her shoulders slightly.

Kakashi stared at her, his eyes wide in disbelief, and then he let out an explosive sigh. “I hate this job,” he muttered as he sank into his chair. “All right, well, we both know this isn’t over, but let’s talk about other things. And up first is the Uchiha money and grounds. Now,” he leaned forward on his elbows and laced his fingers together, “Even though Sasuke was labeled a missing-nin, he was still _alive_ , which meant that the grounds and money still legally belonged to the Uchiha clan. Had Sasuke died, it all would have been acquired by the village.” Fumiko nodded when he paused.

Kakashi moved one hand to push a document to the edge of his desk before her. “This is the paperwork that will put the grounds in your name and give you access to the money. It just needs your signature.” He used his other hand to pick up a brush and offer it to her. She took it, dipped it in the inkwell, and signed her name along the bottom of the parchment. “Excellent. Now, for your backpay for this mission to Iron…”

Sasuke blinked. A diplomatic mission was either B or A ranked, in most cases, and backpay for thirteen years…

“Well, frankly, we don’t have the resources to pay it,” Kakashi said. “We’re still rebuilding from the war, and missions, while plentiful due to the rebuilding, are of low rank and are, at this time, service for service trades rather than fee for service, for the most part.”

Fumiko nodded. “I understand, Hokage-sama.” She tilted her head to the side. “Actually, Sasuke and I will be surveying the Uchiha grounds after this. If we decide to rebuild, I would be more than happy to commission the work through your office and pay for it.”

Sasuke could practically see Kakashi doing the math in his head. The Uchiha grounds were immense, as they included the grounds for the prison and police station, in addition to the family lands and the lake. 

Kakashi nodded. “All right. Now, the last thing is your rank.” Fumiko blinked and tilted her head to the side, the symbol of their clan clinking on her kanzashi. “The Jounin Exam is around the corner. You don’t necessarily need to advance, but after the war, we are a little short on higher-ranked shinobi.”

“All right, Hokage-sama. I will consider it carefully.” She nodded. “What about Sasuke?”

This time, Kakashi tilted his head. “Yes, what about Sasuke?” He grinned, his eyes crinkling as he looked at Sasuke. “Well, I’m allowing Naruto to jump rank since he proved his skills in the war. Sasuke was equally impressive in the war. So, Sasuke, if you’d like to join Naruto in his studies, I’ll allow you to jump rank, too.”

Fumiko looked at him and smiled encouragingly. His rank mattered little to himself – he was a genin with the power of a god. What did rank matter? But judging from his aunt and Naruto’s faces, him becoming a jounin would make them happy and proud. 

“I will also consider it,” he murmured. Fumiko reached out and briefly touched his arm. Then she returned her attention to Kakashi.

“Was that it?” she asked.

Kakashi sighed as he hung his head. “Yes. Please let me know about any rebuilding plans.”

“Of course, Hokage-sama.” She bowed slightly and turned to leave, beckoning him and Naruto after her. As they exited into the hallway, Fumiko hooked her left arm into his right and steered him toward the stairs. “So, Jounin Sasuke, ne? The next thing you know, they’ll want to give you a genin team.”

Sasuke suppressed a shudder and an eye roll. “I said I’d consider it.”

“C’mon, bastard. Think of all the benefits!” Naruto exclaimed, his hands folded behind his head as he followed them down the stairs. “Better pay, more respect, and… you know, in a better position to assist the Hokage, you know, personally or whatever.” Sasuke shot a look behind him, but Naruto was looking everywhere but at him.

“Hn.”

“And,” Fumiko whispered with a small smile, “If you _don’t_ , Naruto-kun will _outrank_ you.”

Well. He couldn’t have that.

“Then we’ll both outrank _you_ ,” he said back.

“Feh. What do I need with rank?”

“ _C’mon_ , oba-san. Think of all the benefits. Better pay, more respect, and… you know, in a better position to assist the Hokage, you know, personally or whatever,” he mimicked Naruto, smirking as she hit his arm and tried to stifle her laughter, snorting once or twice rather loudly.

“Oi! What are you two whispering about?” Naruto demanded.

“Nothing,” they said together, shooting each other a look before Fumiko started laughing again.

As they came to the bottom of the stairs, Sakura, Hinata, and Sai were waiting for them. Sasuke took a deep breath; while he hadn’t been in Sai’s company overmuch in the period after the war, the little he had been had been trying. It was clear the man had as little regard for others’ feelings and personal space as did Naruto, only to a _completely_ different degree.

Naruto, when he saw them waiting, bounded over to them and eagerly greeted them and then proceeded to introduce his aunt and Sai. “Fumiko-chan, this is Sai, the other member of our team. Sai, this is Sasuke’s aunt, Uchiha Fumiko.”

Fumiko bowed her head as Sai stared at her with that bland smile on his face. Eventually, he said, “It would seem that you didn’t inherit the Uchiha beauty gene like Sasuke-kun.”

Naruto and Sakura cringed, and Hinata and Sasuke could only stare at him in shock. Who says that to someone they just met?!

But Fumiko only smiled tightly as she completely ignored him and turned her attention to Hinata. “And you must be a Hyuuga.”

Hinata jumped slightly at the sudden attention, but she bowed as she’d been trained and introduced herself. “Hyuuga Hinata. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Fumiko’s eyes widened in delight as she snapped her fingers. “Oh, yes, Hyuuga-san’s daughter. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.” Fumiko returned Hinata’s bow, though she didn’t let go of Sasuke’s arm.

“Hinata and I got lunch,” Sakura said as she lifted a colorful bag filled to the brim with takeout containers. With her other hand, she gave Fumiko her money purse.

“Great,” Fumiko said as she grabbed her purse. “Let’s head out.” She disengaged from Sasuke and moved forward to the leave the Tower grounds, Sakura and Hinata to either side as they exchanged pleasantries and Fumiko told them a little bit about her time in Iron.

“I believe I made your aunt mad, Sasuke-kun,” Sai said. And Sasuke hated to admit it, but Sai had the _funniest_ look of confusion on his face, like he had no idea that what he’d said to her face was completely inappropriate.

Naruto groaned as they shuffled behind the girls. “C’mon, Sai. You can’t tell me you didn’t know what you said was going to piss her off. You basically called her ugly!”

“I was merely stating that, when people say the Uchiha clan was full of _beauty_ , they obviously didn’t mean _everyone_. She’s pretty enough, by normal standards, but compared to Sasuke-kun’s vaunted _beauty_ , it’s not much.”

Sasuke refused to respond to Sai’s statement, though his brow twitched involuntarily at being called beautiful, and by such a creep, at that.

“Well, whatever you _meant_ , you shouldn’t say it to her face!” Naruto continued. “What do those books teach you anyway?”

“The main takeaway is that honesty is the best policy.”

“And silence is golden,” Naruto retorted, surprising Sasuke that the moron even knew that phrase. Maybe he should teach the idiot the phrase ‘Practice what you preach.’

Sai hummed thoughtfully. “You may have a point, Naruto-kun.” Sai walked closer to the girls. “Uchiha-san,” he said. Fumiko looked over her shoulder, eyebrow raised in query. “Naruto-kun says I shouldn’t have told you that you weren’t beautiful, even though you aren’t. So, I wanted to apologize.”

Fumiko pulled up short and turned to face Sai. “Sai-kun, Sakura-chan tells me that you’re socially inept and that what little social interaction skills you have you learned from reading books. Is that accurate?”

Sai glanced at Sakura before nodding. “I have little to go on, so the books are useful.”

“And when you put these lessons into practice, do the reactions you receive not tell you that something might be wrong?”

“I always assumed it was because people are not used to honesty.”

Surprisingly, Fumiko laughed. “Well, I can’t say you’re wrong, Sai-kun, but what you think is being ‘honest’ is merely your own perception of truth, isn’t it?” Sai frowned at her. “So, you don’t think I’m ‘beautiful,’ so you speak it in terms of a universal truth. But what if someone else does think I’m beautiful? Then your ‘truth’ becomes your ‘opinion,’ yes?”

“I guess,” Sai said. “But it still follows that I shouldn’t have spoken my ‘opinion’ if it was going to make you angry.”

Fumiko shook her head. “Not necessarily. You should learn to speak your ‘truth’ in more vague terms.”

“How so?”

“Hm. So, you had an expectation that all Uchiha would look like Sasuke, right? So, when I didn’t fit that expectation, instead of saying that I wasn’t beautiful like Sasuke, you could have said that I don’t look like you would have expected.”

Sai didn’t answer for a moment, but then he said, “So, you’re not angry?”

“Well, no. I am directly related to Sasuke’s father, not his mother, so I am aware I lack the delicate appearance of Mikoto’s line. I was just a little thrown by the blunt comment.” She chuckled as she turned and continued walking with the girls, leaving Sai to rejoin him and Naruto.

“Not that I have anything to compare to,” Sai said after a moment, “But she seems like a mother to me, with her life lessons and advice.” He whipped out a scroll and brush and began writing as they walked.

“I only met my mom’s chakra, and only for a moment, but I guess you’re right, in a way,” Naruto said. His eyes lit up as he looked from Fumiko’s back to Sai. “Like, sometimes she just lets me and Sasuke fight like it’s none of her business, and then sometimes she’s like, ‘Boys, stop fighting!’”

While she’d never actually said that, verbatim, Sasuke couldn’t deny that she did scold them like a mother from time to time. But – and he’d never admit this aloud – his and Naruto’s interactions _did_ tend to turn anyone nearby into a babysitter.

Naruto and Sai continued to make conversation, and eventually they came to the Uchiha district, where Fumiko came up short and cut off her own sentence to stare in silence. Sasuke came up behind her, looking over her shoulder in similar shock.

There was nothing left, not even the rotting skeletons of buildings that had been there when Sasuke had come to speak to the Hokage in the underground shrine. The cobblestone walkway that had led to the entrance and wall was gone, as were the entrance and wall. It was green grass as far as the eye could see.

“What happened?” Sasuke asked.

Sakura looked down at the ground as Naruto shrugged. “A lot of it was destroyed during Akatsuki’s attack. After the war, resources were scarce, so this place was scavenged for usable stone and wood. What was left was condemned, so… we knocked it down.”

Sakura cleared her throat. “The only thing still intact is a stone slab that’s sealed, and nobody could remove it to see what it is. Obviously, it’s a clan seal, since it’s… it’s a Sharingan pattern.”

“Pay it no mind, Sakura-chan,” Fumiko murmured. “It is a thing that should remain in obscurity.” Sasuke silently agreed. “Well,” she continued, a little louder, “I had intended to survey the ruins, but there seems to be no need.” She looked at Sasuke over her shoulder, “We only need to make a decision about rebuilding.” She smiled at him in a way that told him they’d do it later, privately, if he wished, but he wouldn’t mind rebuilding.

“I think we should,” he said quietly.

She hummed thoughtfully and turned to the others. “What say we get to eating?” She smiled at the girls and motioned for Sakura to set the food down. As she did so, Hinata removed a large blanket from a bag Sasuke hadn’t noticed on her back under her long hair and spread it on the ground. It certainly looked big enough to seat all of them comfortably.

Sai helped her straighten it, and then Naruto and Sakura began to set out the food. As they did so, Sasuke put his hand on Fumiko’s elbow and helped her sit down. As he joined her, he took a moment to think about how, even just a month ago, he never would have imagined himself attending a picnic with anyone, let alone doing so in Konoha.

But then again, here he sat next to an aunt that he had thought long dead, so really, anything was possible, he guessed.

~*~

Hinata cast a surreptitious glance at Fumiko as the Uchiha clan head chatted with Sakura and watched Sai, Sasuke, and Naruto move about the grounds. Naruto had started asking about what types of buildings Sasuke was going to build, and surprisingly, Sasuke had started to speak in stilted descriptions of what he’d like to see rebuilt. Fumiko, after having discovered that Sai was an artist during lunch, had suggested that Sai draw up some plans and sketches that she could discuss with Kakashi.

It was just so unbelievable that another Uchiha was alive. The adults had spoken about the massacre in the same hushed tones that they’d spoken about Naruto – though less… hatefully – but the children had picked up enough to know that Sasuke would forever be known as “The Last Uchiha” (even though Itachi had still been out there, as well as Obito). So, to find yet another one alive was extraordinary.

Fumiko must have caught her glance, because her eyes cut to Hinata, and she turned her head and smiled. “So, Hinata-chan, are you in love with Sasuke?”

Hinata felt her face flush as both she and Sakura squawked at the question. The boys turned to look at them but returned to their task when Fumiko waved them away.

“I’m sorry for the blunt question, but I was just so curious.”

Hinata took in a trembling breath before she answered, “Um, what would make you think that, Fumiko-san?”

Fumiko tilted her head to the side as she hummed. “Well, there is no love lost between the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans, so it surprised me to see the Hyuuga heir in the running to be an Uchiha bride.”

Hinata’s eyes flitted to Sakura, seeing the slight grimace on her face, before returning her attention to Fumiko. “Well, um, I’m not actually the heir.” Fumiko’s eyes widened in surprise. Hinata smiled slightly. “It was decided that my younger sister will be the next clan head.”

Fumiko frowned. “Well, I guess that makes more sense. Hyuuga-san is shrewd, to arrange an alliance with a powerful clan and yet keep the main branch intact.” She hummed thoughtfully. “Though, I still don’t see the point. Though not impossible, it’s highly genetically improbable that your and Sasuke’s offspring could inherit both the Sharingan and the Byakugan. In fact, according to Naruto and Sasuke, only Kaguya had both, though not a conjoined power. As I understand it, she primarily had the Byakugan, and the Sharingan manifested through a third eye of some sort.”

Hinata blinked. Fumiko had seemed to wander into a train of thought that she couldn’t follow, though Sakura seemed highly interested in her ramblings. But suddenly, Fumiko focused back on Hinata.

“So, you’re not in love with Sasuke?”

Hinata blushed again. “No,” she said softly.

“Okay,” Fumiko said, smiling at her.

Sakura frowned slightly. “What if she had been, Fumiko-san? Would that be a problem?”

Fumiko sighed as she looked down at her lap. “Well, no, of course not. I would just caution her that Sasuke… is not ready for something like that. He needs time to… hm, love himself before he can love someone else.”

Hinata saw Sakura’s frown deepen at that. “But if she loved him, she could be there for him, help him love himself, and be his strength.”

Fumiko let out another sigh, this one slightly frustrated. “Are you in love with Sasuke, Sakura-chan?” She pinned the pink-haired kunoichi with a stare, and Hinata saw Sakura flush down to her neck. But she returned the stare unflinchingly and nodded. “Okay, Sakura-chan. I understand. And you have a point. But let me ask you this question: is it better for someone to realize he deserves to be loved on his own or be convinced of it by someone else?

“See, in both instances, doubt will always exist. But with someone who truly believes he deserves to love and be loved because _he_ decided it was true, doubt can’t really take root and will fade. But with someone who is convinced by others that he deserves to love and be loved, doubt will fester and grow – are they right, do I really deserve this, because I never really believed it – those thoughts will plague him.”

Sakura’s gaze sank to her lap, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Hinata felt bad for her; she knew, as did everyone, that Sasuke wasn’t easy to love, but Sakura insisted on doing so. And based on Fumiko’s advice, it sounded to Hinata like there was a chance that Sakura’s love would never be fruitful.

Fumiko reached out and patted Sakura’s clenched fist. “Oh, dear, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t love Sasuke, but you need to be aware that it will be difficult and may take time. I can’t tell you what to do in this, but just heed my advice, okay?”

Sakura nodded in jerky movements. Fumiko patted her hand again and sighed tiredly. Then she gave Hinata a self-deprecating smile. “Well, Hinata-chan, is there a love interest about whom I can disillusion you?” she joked.

Sakura giggled a little as she lifted her head and wiped at her eyes with the heel of her palms. “In a way, Hinata’s got it worse than me. She’s in love with the most oblivious person in the world!”

“Sakura-san!” Hinata said in embarrassment, looking around to make sure the boys weren’t nearby. 

“Oh, who is it?” Fumiko asked as she leaned into Hinata’s personal space.

Hinata blushed again and clasped her hands in her lap, squeezing her entwined fingers. “Um, Naruto-kun,” she murmured.

“Really?” Fumiko smiled at her and nodded. “He’s a fine catch. If I were ten years younger…” She winked as Hinata hissed her name, her hands coming up to cover her bright red cheeks.

“Yeah, but he can be as dumb as a rock,” Sakura said as she smiled fondly at Hinata. “He’s so oblivious, he’s never going to realize it.”

“Feh,” Fumiko said as she waved her hand in front of her face. “I don’t see a problem. Hinata-chan just needs to walk up to him and plant one right on him.”

“No!” Hinata was probably going to faint with all the blood staining her face.

Fumiko laughed loudly. “Okay, maybe that’s a little much for you, dear. But you just need to talk to him.”

“Yeah, Hinata. _Talk_ to him, like you and Ino prodded me to do.”

Hinata nodded vigorously, too embarrassed to say anything. All this attention on her was discomfiting, so she quickly tried to take the focus off her. “Well, um, Fumiko-san, was there someone you left behind in Iron?”

Fumiko’s smile fell instantly at the question. “No,” she said, a little coldly. Hinata and Sakura looked at each other in confusion, wondering if her question had made the woman angry.

“Well, um, then you should fit right in with the others, Fumiko-san,” Sakura said.

“What do you mean?” Fumiko asked, her demeanor less cold.

“Heh, well, your generation just seems to be eternal bachelors and bachelorettes. I think the closet anyone got was Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei, but then, well…” She trailed off and shrugged. “But, I mean, a lot of them seem to be psychotic in some kind of way – like Anko-sensei and Gai-sensei – so maybe it’s a good thing.”

Fumiko smiled sadly. “Well, a lot of that has to do with not wanting to forge romantic ties during wartime. It gives the enemy less ammunition. Now that peace is upon us, my classmates may start to settle down. I’m sure, eventually, Hokage-sama will be asked to marry to promote peace and stability.”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Please – Kakashi-sensei is the _ultimate_ bachelor. He’s so perverted and a little bit crazy. I don’t see that ever happening.”

“Perverted?” Fumiko asked hesitantly.

“Yes! He never goes anywhere without a least one copy of _Icha Icha_ in his pocket. And he reads it constantly, even in public. But, well, it’s just so normal now that people don’t really think twice about it. But with the stories that Naruto tells about Jiraiya-san, the author, I can only imagine the smut in those books.” Sakura laughed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Hinata laughed with her. “I hear that he actually had to recite some of it aloud when they were trying to decipher Jiraiya-san’s final message. Naruto-kun said he was visibly blushing and flustered.”

As all three of them laughed about it, the boys rejoined them, and Naruto asked what they’d been talking about. He sat down next to Hinata, and she tried not to blush at the proximity. Sakura relayed the conversation about Kakashi, Naruto adding to it with other examples of his sensei’s perverseness, and Sasuke quietly handed some sketches to Fumiko. She examined them as she listened to Naruto, a small, pleased smile on her face.

“Well, Hokage-sama always was an odd one,” Fumiko said as Naruto finished a story from their genin days. She folded the sheets of parchment and tucked them away in her kimono sleeve. “Sai-kun, thank you for these sketches; they’re lovely and will be useful.” She raised her eyes to the sky. “I think it’s time we called it a day. I have a chore to do before it gets too late.” She looked at Naruto. “Naruto-kun, will you accompany us back to the residence?” she asked as Sasuke helped her stand.

“Of course!” he answered with a smile as he and Sakura picked up and folded Hinata’s blanket. He handed it to her with a smile, and she thanked him, hoping she wasn’t blushing too fiercely.

She turned and bowed to Fumiko. “Thank you for the invitation today, Fumiko-san. I really enjoyed it.”

“Me, too, Hinata-chan. I hope we can hang out again.” Fumiko smiled sincerely and then turned to leave, Sasuke and Naruto at her side.

Sakura sidled up to her, watching them go. “She’s been here two days, and yet that is becoming a very familiar sight.” She sighed. “And here I was, going to suggest Naruto walk you home.”

“Sakura-san! You’re too much sometimes.” Sakura laughed at her. “I appreciate it, but I don’t need to be set up. I’ll… I’ll do this on my own, even if only to prove to myself that I can.”

“Oh, sorry, sorry, Hinata,” Sakura said, her arm coming up around her shoulders to give her a hug. “I know you can do it.”

Sai cleared his throat behind them, making both girls jump slightly. “If I may interject, you might need all the help you can get with Naruto. To me, he still seems to be single-mindedly obsessed with Uchiha.”

Hinata blinked at that and resumed her watch of the trio as they made their way back to the Hokage residence, frowning as she thought about what Sai had said.

~*~

Ino turned on her side in her bed, her eyes itching and red from crying. Shikamaru had brought her home after the meeting, and she’d immediately locked herself in her room.

What she had seen in Uchiha Fumiko’s mind had been disturbing and heartbreaking, the least of which had been the truth about the Uchiha massacre. It seemed that Fumiko had only learned the truth herself recently, so it was very fresh in her mind, allowing Ino to access it fairly easily.

And now Ino knew the truth, too. It hurt to know how much undue suffering Sasuke had grown up with, caused – no, _ordered_ – by his own village. And it hurt more to know that all the suffering and loss that the village had gone through, from Orochimaru’s attack to the war, could, in miniscule ways, be traced to Danzo’s manipulations and schemes.

But the hardest thing to see was Fumiko’s personal tragedy.

Tears built up and poured down Ino’s cheeks again. Even though it had happened so many years ago, the memories were close to the surface of Fumiko’s mind, like she thought about it constantly, or at least recently enough that the horrible emotions that went with them had been easily passed to Ino.

 _Damaged goods_ echoed in her head, Fumiko’s own words from a conversation she’d had with the Hokage that morning. And from what Ino could discern, she’d never really told anyone, just kept it all inside. Seemed like an Uchiha trait. But Ino thought she should really talk about it to make sure her mental health was as stable as her physical health.

Maybe when Ino could pull herself together, she would pay the new Uchiha clan head a visit.

~*~

Koharu watched through the open shoji doors as her great-grandchildren played outside. Her children and grandchildren were throughout the house, preparing for dinner. Her tea sat untouched as she replayed Uchiha’s words over in her head.

“We never should have allowed the Uchiha back in this village,” she eventually said.

Homura grunted. “We could not have rationally disallowed it, after what Uchiha Sasuke did to save the shinobi world. _And_ when Kakashi made it quite clear that he knew about the order.”

Koharu clicked her tongue. “The ignorance of the young. We would have been equally condemned if we’d allowed the Uchiha to rebel.” She took a deep breath. “It would seem that Uchiha Fumiko knows, too.”

“‘Returning the favor.’ She knew we’d understand.”

“I will not allow that woman to lay hand on my family,” Koharu spat.

“Nor will I mine,” Homura agreed. “But she is the Uchiha clan head. I remember her. She is a less-skilled Uchiha, who never developed the Sharingan, and thus useless as part of the main branch. Fugaku’s father had her relegated to a branch family. But with her and Sasuke as the only remaining Uchiha, she is the legitimate heir until Sasuke is of age. There is not much we can do against her.”

“Yes, there is not much _we_ can do against her.” She turned and looked at Homura. “There are still people who understand the concept of the greater good.”

Homura was quiet a moment before he nodded. “Then we should find one of those people for whatever you have planned.”

“Agreed.” They shared a solemn look between them.

“Obaa-san!” Koharu looked over to the hallway where her grandson had appeared. “Would you and Homura-sama like more tea?”

“Yes, please. I’m afraid ours have grown cold as we’ve talked.”

Her grandson smiled at her. “Ha! Such a chatterbox, obaa-san. All right, I’ll be right back with more tea.” He turned around and walked back down the hallway.

“When?” Homura asked softly.

“The Jounin Exam,” she murmured but said no more. She would not tarnish her family home by speaking of such things here. Homura nodded, and then her grandson returned, bringing tea and her great-grandchildren.

Koharu tightened her hand into a fist under the table. She would protect her family as she tried to protect the village – by any means necessary.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, everyone, for your feedback! It seems kind of evenly split about whether Sasuke or Naruto should realize first. So, I guess it'll just be a surprise for everyone (myself included).
> 
> Anyway, not really a whole lot happening in this chapter, except... I just am trying to very gently shatter Sakura's dream every chance I can, man. And what have we here? Intrigue. Yeah, I decided to go that way, because I have this idea for a really badass scene. Hopefully, it'll work out the way I see it in my head.
> 
> Thanks for reading, thanks for the comments, and thanks for the kudos! (Believe it or not, the comments can very easily influence the story direction - so keep it up. ^_~)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy SasuNaru Day! I give you... nothing. Really, guys, like the slowest burn imaginable. We'll see if there's even any progress by NaruSasu Day. LOL But I do hope to have a little something in the next chapter, since it will start with Naruto's POV. And as always, I look forward to your feedback!
> 
> Warning: mentions of torture and rape, though nothing too graphic. Proceed with caution, if need be.

_Instinct. Pure, unadulterated, **animal** instinct. It’s the only thing that could explain how she’d gotten here, as she comes out of the fugue-like haze and finds the gates of Konoha looming before her. The gate guards jump down, yelling for her to identify herself._

_It’s funny, and she chuckles. But instead of laughter, blood bubbles up her throat, spilling down her chin and staining her shirt more, what once was the blue of a standard-issued chuunin uniform now a color almost black from dirt and layers and layers and **layers** of dried blood._

_She raises her arms in surrender –_ I mean no harm, _she tries to convey – but the movement only throws off her balance, and she pitches forward, landing in an unmoving heap with the sickening sounds of shifting bones and squelching blood echoing in her ears._

_She feels the minute shifting of the earth and air signaling the approach of the guards and thinks she really should stop using up her chakra. It’s almost depleted as is._

_A hand is on her shoulder, ungently turning her to her back. She flinches, trying to move away from the hand, wrenching more things inside her as she moves. She moans and trembles, slipping closer and closer to blackout from pain and exhaustion._

_“Holy shit!” one of them exclaims quietly. “Get a medic! It’s Uchiha Fumiko!” Hands start moving over her body, clinically assessing the injuries, she knows this, but all she can think about is how the hands belong to a **man** and that she did not ask him to touch her._

_She can’t fend him off – she’s too weak, too exhausted to move – and her trembling increases. Tiny, pitiful whimpers escape her lips, and he’s shushing her, trying to calm her down, and she lashes out with the last of her expendable chakra, sending him spiraling away with her fuuton, and she slips into darkness._

_…_

_She jolts awake, that primal instinct still ruling her mind, and she strikes out with her right arm, adrenaline coursing through her and allowing her to ignore the painful snap of the bones as they fracture more._

_She’s restrained by hands on her shoulders and legs, and a lone hand glowing green appears before her eyes, lulling her into a calm state of mind. The calm allows her to take stock of her surroundings – the white walls and bright lights, the antiseptic smell and the frantic mumbling of medical jargon floating above her head._

_“She’s lost so much blood! How is she even still alive?” someone murmurs, and despite the serious nature of the situation, she can hear the underlying tone of astonishment and curiosity._

_She wants to smile. She wants to tell them how – how she can stimulate her marrow into creating red blood cells at an accelerated rate, but she’s been intubated. She hadn’t noticed in her panic, but she can feel it now, the tube filling her throat, dredging up a dark panic at the thought of something big – too big for her throat – ramming itself down there, but her body is so exhausted that the panic doesn’t even trigger her gag reflex, only fills her mind with terror and her eyes with tears._

_“It’s okay, Uchiha-san. We’re going to take care of you.”_

_**We’re gonna take real good care of you.** _

_Her eyes widen, and she’s trying to find the breath to scream, but there’s a breath-stealing, mind-numbing stab of pain in her side. She blacks out again._

_…_

_“… fractures in the arms and legs, four broken ribs – one of which pierced and collapsed her right lung – multiple lacerations and burns…”_

_The droning voice brings her around. She barely opens her eyes as she takes stock of herself, the bright light stabbing her eyes mercilessly. She blinks rapidly, trying to get accustomed to the light until she can open her eyes fully, and she’s surprised to find Fugaku-nii by her bed, carefully holding her hand, his severe frown smoothing slightly as their eyes meet._

_“Imouto,” he whispers._

_“When will she be back on active duty?”_

_She flits her eyes from her brother to the end of the bed where her father and a medic are standing._

_The medic hesitates. “Well, we’ve stopped all the bleeding, healed those wounds, and reset the bones. Those will need time to heal – several weeks to several months, at least.”_

_Her father grunts and looks over at her. The medic does, too. He smiles slightly and moves to stand by her bedside. “Hello, Uchiha-san. How are you feeling?” She only blinks at him, not entirely sure of the answer. Numb, maybe. He nods his head, reaching out to pat her leg gently, at which she flinches._

_He pulls a stool over and sits, bringing up her chart to glance over. “I was just telling your father about the extent of your injuries.” He pauses as he reads something, a deep frown pulling down his lips. He looks up, pity welling up in his eyes. “Well, there should be no lasting damage to your arms and legs, and your lung is already healed – we focused most of our effort there. But, Uchiha-san…” He trails off, eyes flitting quickly to her brother and father._

_Oh, she knows where this is going._

_“The, uh, other injuries you sustained were… severe. We fixed what we could, and you should be able to, uh, function mostly normally, but…”_

_He is a medic; he shouldn’t be so flustered. But he is, and she can guess it’s because of the unwavering stares of her kin. He turns to them, smiling tightly._

_“If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to the patient alone.”_

_“We do mind. Speak,” her father says coldly._

_The medic opens his mouth, probably to protest, but she beats him to it. “Just say it,” she croaks out, already sure of what he wants to say – it’s her body, after all – and too tired to care who knows._

_He frowns and fidgets before taking a deep breath. “Your bodily functions will be mostly normal, but… I’m afraid it is unlikely that you will ever conceive.”_

_She knows this. And it’s not like she ever really considered having children – even though she knows it’s her duty as an Uchiha female – but it still feels like something is squeezing her lungs and heart into a bloody, messy pulp inside her._

_“Leave us,” her father demands, and the medic is gone, probably grateful to leave the suffocating aura of her enraged father. He turns cold eyes on her. “You’ve always been a disappointment, girl – middling chakra control and subpar skill. You’ve yet to manifest the Sharingan, and this fiasco of a mission… But you always had value in that you would birth another great generation of Uchiha. And now, you can’t even do that.”_

_That bloody, messy pulp in her chest is freezing over, and she’s struggling to breathe._

_“Otou-sama,” Fugaku-nii begins, and it sounds like he wants to protest their father’s words._

_“All you are now is defective and damaged goods, and you are no longer welcome in my home.” With that, her father walks out, and after a moment’s hesitation, her brother leaves, too._

_And she is left alone, a soul-stealing desolation quietly descending upon her until the pain meds kick in, and she slips into darkness yet again, dimly wondering if it would be better if she doesn’t wake up this time._

…

Ino gasped as she sat up in bed, her heart hammering in her chest as her mind tried to right itself into being _Ino_ and not consumed with Fumiko’s memories – the ones she’d scanned during the meeting, the ones that kept looping in her mind every time she closed her eyes.

Breathing heavily, she turned her head to glance out the window, seeing that it was almost sunrise. Swallowing and trying to calm her racing heart, she shakily stood from her bed and moved to the bathroom where she slowly and quietly performed her morning ablutions. She didn’t want to wake the house; her mother would take the first opportunity to derail her spontaneous plans.

She quickly dressed in her purple top and skirt and left the house, stealing into the early morning streets in silence. Shikamaru had told her that Sasuke and his aunt would be staying in the Hokage residence for the time being, so she headed in that direction, wondering if she’d be allowed to enter. She didn’t imagine that anyone could just show up there.

As she reached the residence and stepped up to the entrance, the door swung open, and she came face to face with Sasuke. She blushed as he caught her eye, her hand slowly coming down from where it had been poised to knock.

“Ino,” he greeted, his voice deep but clear, as if he’d been up for hours. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, um,” she started, not knowing exactly what to say. “I just wanted to greet the Uchiha clan head. Is… is Uchiha-san available?”

Sasuke stared at her a moment, and it was a little unnerving, with only the one, inky black eye visible and staring her down and knowing – though having never seen it – that the legendary Rinnegan was just under his black fringe.

“Yes,” he eventually answered, tipping his head back. “Go on in.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said, pressing by as he moved to the side and slid past her. “Oh, where are you going this early, Sasuke-kun?” she asked, turning around as he took a few steps away from the residence.

“I’m meeting Naruto for an early spar.”

Typical, and it made something inside Ino loosen. She smiled slightly – it was so normal, Sasuke and Naruto meeting to spar, like nothing ever happened. “Okay, tell him I said hi!” She waved as he turned and walked away, and her smile slowly slid to a frown.

Turning back around, she fully entered the residence and pulled the door closed behind her. As she walked further into the corridor, Fumiko came from the kitchen area, wiping her hands on a towel. Ino blinked at her outfit, a blue ensemble that more easily identified her as a shinobi.

“Yamanaka-san?” she asked with a frown, crossing her arms. “Good morning. How may I help you? Sasuke left to train.”

Ino shook her head. “I actually came to speak with you, Uchiha-san.” Fumiko lifted a brow in question and gestured to the kitchen. Ino ducked her head and followed, grabbing a seat at the bar and watching Fumiko as she filled a mug with coffee.

“Would you like some coffee, Yamanaka-san?”

She nodded her head. “Yes, thank you. And please call me Ino.”

“Sure, Ino-san.” Fumiko set a cup of coffee and tray with cream and sugar in front of her, and then she sat on a stool on the other side of the island. “What can I help you with?”

“Well…” Ino trailed off and cleared her throat. “First, I wanted to officially greet you, as one clan head to another. And second… I just… wanted to apologize for Shikamaru’s suggestion. I know it probably wasn’t pleasant to have me invade your memories.”

Fumiko smiled sadly as she looked down into her coffee. “Well, thank you for the apology, Ino-san, but it’s unnecessary. The Nara are tacticians, so I have already determined his strategy was necessary on some level, and I hold no grudge.” She glanced up at Ino from under her lashes. “But that’s not the only reason you’re here.”

Ino winced as she cupped her hands around her coffee. “No,” she agreed. “I was wondering about a couple of things…”

Fumiko sat back, her arms stretched out to either side of her cup. “Okay. Shoot.”

Ino swallowed. “I saw some memories of Sasuke telling you, um, the truth about the massacre. Can you clarify what I think I saw?”

Fumiko’s head tilted to the side, and she hummed thoughtfully. “I won’t sugarcoat this, if you really want to know.” Ino nodded. “What I am going to tell you is from Sasuke, who learned the truth from Obito and, in a way, Itachi.

“The Uchiha clan was going to overthrow the Sandaime Hokage and reign over Konoha.” Ino gasped, but Fumiko paid it no mind. “Itachi – in ANBU at the time – was given the position of a mole, asked by the Sandaime and the council to report on the clan’s movements. Similarly, my brother, Fugaku, had Itachi acting as his own mole, asking him to report on the Sandaime and the council.”

Ino, wide-eyed, felt her heart clench. She could only imagine how that would feel – to be torn between your clan and your village.

“Sandaime, however clumsily, still wished for a peaceful resolution, and Shimura and the Elders couldn’t stomach that. So, Shimura took Itachi aside and gave him an ultimatum: kill the Uchiha, and Sasuke would be spared, or don’t and suffer the consequences.”

Fumiko paused for a moment. “What could a thirteen-year-old boy do? For all his power and genius, he was still a child with but two realities before him: that the Uchiha clan was threatening the stability of the village and that he loved his little brother with all his heart. Shimura knew exactly where to strike to make Itachi do his bidding.”

Ino had her hand over her mouth now and was trying to hold back tears.

Fumiko folded her arms over her chest and shrugged. “So, he agreed. He sought out Obito, not knowing who he was, and together they slaughtered the clan. And when Sasuke came home, Itachi made sure Sasuke would hate him and chase him to the very ends of the earth.”

Ino gasped again. “So, that’s why Sasuke left Konoha.” Her eyes widened more. “It’s why he killed Danzo!”

Fumiko nodded. “There’s a bit more to the story, but not necessary to tell. Just the fact that Danzo and the Elders had Itachi kill his own clan and then branded him a traitor. And for no real reason that I can discern.”

“Do…” Ino hesitated, “Do the other clans know?”

Fumiko shrugged again. “I would imagine not.”

Ino furrowed her brow in thought. That just didn’t sit well with her. She’d been raised to have blind and unwavering faith in the Hokage and the village government, but the Elders… They seemed to like to wield extrajudicial powers like it was their right, circumventing legal avenues. It had been the same with this whole marriage arrangement for Sasuke. They’d gone behind her back to her clan and had _them_ force her hand with her vote.

She looked up at Fumiko to say something, but she paused. It had only been a second, and she could very well have imagined it, but she thought she’d seen a pleased glint in Fumiko’s eyes before her lashes had fluttered down.

“Was there something else, Ino-san?”

Ino blinked, and then she inhaled and exhaled slowly. “Um, I also wanted to ask if… you are all right. I also saw some memories that… seemed to suggest, um, that something bad happened to you that caused your father to…” She trailed off, not sure if she should finish the sentence.

“Disown me?” Fumiko laughed mirthlessly. “Yes, well. I had been thinking about it just before the meeting, so I guess they were a little too close to the surface.”

“May I… may I ask what happened?”

“I don’t like to talk about it,” Fumiko answered quietly.

Ino nodded. “I understand, but…” She paused, biting her lower lip. “I sensed the underlying fear in those memories, and… it can be crippling, especially during a mission. If you’re going to remain an active shinobi, I have to inform you that Sakura and I have instituted mandatory psychological evaluations on a regular basis for all chuunin and jounin taking B-rank and higher missions.” Fumiko remained silent, and Ino continued softly, “Okay. You don’t have to talk about it. I just thought… I’ve had some experience helping those with mental scars in the past few months, and I know that… talking about it can help. It doesn’t make the pain and fear go away, but it lightens the burden of bearing the load alone.”

Fumiko frowned at her, but then she slumped in her seat, her crossed arms falling to her lap. “I was captured on my previous mission,” she started after a minute. “A sensor-type shinobi identified me as an Uchiha, and I very nearly had my eyes gouged out. But I didn’t have the Sharingan. They didn’t believe me, of course, but someone mentioned that they could prove it if they tortured me enough. Eventually, an Uchiha would undoubtedly use the Sharingan to try to escape, they joked. It was a game, see? They would torture me, playing along with my claim, until they’d had their fun and killed me.”

Ino shivered as she watched Fumiko turn her coffee cup back and forth on the countertop. “Surprisingly, they thought torturing me was fun for an entire month. They started with drugs to cloud my mind and heighten my senses. Even if I could have gathered enough chakra to attack, I was so doped up I wouldn’t have known what to do with it. Then came weapons and ninjutsu, followed by genjutsu. And then, someone thought it was even better to _breed_ the Sharingan into their Iwa ranks. And so, they took turns raping me, over and over and over, and that lasted… forever, it seemed.”

Ino felt tears trailing down her cheeks, and they were mirrored on Fumiko’s face. She could only sit stunned as these events settled in her mind beside the memories she’d already seen. “Other injuries” that had caused infertility… Ino reigned in her sudden urge to sob. But Fumiko’s eyes were dull as she continued to recount the incident.

“Eventually, their squad captain found out about me. Can you believe that? I’d been nothing more than a dirty little _secret_ for months on end. He ordered me killed on sight and my eyes harvested, and… I don’t know.” Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I’d been at their mercy for months, death always the end game, but when he gave that order, something inside me snapped. I found a reserve of chakra I didn’t know I had and just… fought my way out. It’s all hazy, as if I did it subconsciously. And the next clear thing I remember is standing in front of the gates.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Ino trying to wrap her head around Fumiko’s trials. She tried to imagine having to live in a time where that kind of treatment was a normal risk for kunoichi and shuddered. But Fumiko didn’t seem unstable or anything from the ordeal, and she said as much.

Fumiko smirked and finally looked up at Ino. “You were right, Ino-san. Fear lurks inside me. Not nearly as much as when it happened, but it’s still there nonetheless. Almost twenty years later, and I can’t really handle men touching me.”

Ino blinked at that. “But Sasuke-kun and Naruto were touching you at the meeting.”

Fumiko let out a small laugh. “They’re children. Plus… I can sense they mean no harm. Sasuke is family, and Naruto-kun… Naruto-kun just emits a gentle and friendly aura that I can’t even think to fear his touch.”

Ino shook her head, wide-eyed. “This is a problem, Uchiha-san. Hokage-sama won’t be able to keep you on active duty if you freeze up at the touch of a teammate, let alone an enemy.”

“It’s not bad, really. I just sort of freeze up for a moment.” Fumiko nodded. “But I know – even a moment in battle is enough to lose your life. To be honest, I have not yet decided to continue as a shinobi.”

Ino nibbled at her lower lip. “Oh!” she exclaimed, brightening. “You don’t have a problem with children, it seems. We could make you an instructor at the Academy!”

Fumiko laughed brightly, a startling contrast to the story she’d just conveyed. “One thing at a time, Ino-san. I need to work on getting Sasuke and me a home so that we don’t inconvenience the Hokage any more than we have.”

“Of course.” She paused and then said quietly, “If you ever need to talk about it, please let me know. Or come to the clinic. We’re more than happy to help.”

“Well, thank you, Ino-san.” Fumiko glanced at a wall clock. “I have a meeting with a realtor in half an hour. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready.”

Ino nodded as Fumiko stood and came around to her side of the bar. “I can show myself out, Uchiha-san.”

Fumiko smiled. “Please, call me Fumiko.”

Ino returned the smile. “Okay, Fumiko-san.” She watched as Fumiko disappeared into the residence and then moved to the front door. As she approached the corridor, something broke off from the shadows and made her instantly shift to a defensive position.

“Calm down, Ino-chan,” Kakashi said as he walked further into his home.

Ino let out a breath. “You scared me, Hokage-sama!” She straightened. “Sorry for intruding. I just wanted to talk with Fumiko-san.” Kakashi merely hummed. “I’ll see you later!” she said as she opened the front door and exited. She wanted to catch Shikamaru and talk to him about the Elders and what they could do for Sasuke.

It was while she was buying a quick breakfast that she thought to wonder just how long Kakashi had been standing there and how much he had heard.

~*~

Kakashi unconsciously curled his fingers as he stood in the corridor of his own home, for the first time in a long time not knowing what to do. Ino and Fumiko’s conversation ran through his mind, his emotions oscillating between anger and sadness at what he’d heard.

Part of the anger was at the village – why hadn’t her team gone back for her? After getting the intel back to Konoha, why hadn’t a rescue been mounted? If not for Fumiko herself, but to at least get a coveted Uchiha back from the enemy so that clan secrets weren’t divulged. But that anger was hypocritical – there was a time when Kakashi wouldn’t have cared that a fellow shinobi had been captured. So, he swung over to sadness, aching for Fumiko for what she’d suffered – tortured, raped, and then being disowned by her own father.

Regardless of what he felt, he had only overheard the conversation due to morbid curiosity, and now he regretted it. For one, he felt like he’d betrayed Fumiko’s trust by eavesdropping, and for another, he didn’t know how to respond to the information without revealing he’d betrayed that trust.

A noise drew his attention, and he looked up to see Fumiko coming back into the common area. He blinked at her outfit, a blue qipao, and her hair flowing down her back in a ponytail. He’d yet to see her in anything but a kimono, so it was a bit shocking.

“Oh, Hokage-sama! I thought you’d left for the tower long ago. Did you forget something?” she asked, her head tilted to the side with a small smile on her face. It didn’t look fake at all. How could she genuinely smile after everything that had been done to her?

He smiled back, slightly less genuine, his eyes squinted closed. “I did,” he lied easily. He’d actually been in the residence the whole time, reluctant to go to the office, as usual. “Are you heading out, Uchiha-san?”

“Yes, I am meeting a realtor to look at some temporary homes for myself and Sasuke. We can’t impose on you any longer.”

“It’s no problem, I assure you, Uchiha-san. I’m barely here, as it is.”

“Be that as it may,” she murmured, her lashes coming down to cover her eyes.

“Well, all right, then,” Kakashi said, and Fumiko looked back up at him. There was silence between them for a moment, neither moving, until Kakashi finally realized that she was probably wondering how to get past him without brushing against him. Lips turning down in a frown, he stepped to the side, as if he were heading into the kitchen, and watched from his periphery as Fumiko quickly moved to the front door.

“Have a good day, Hokage-sama!” she called as she left. The door closed behind her, and Kakashi was left in the silence of the residence.

He closed his eyes and sighed. The only thing he could do right now was pretend he hadn’t heard a word. And with that decision made, he teleported to the Hokage Tower to suffer through an untold amount of paperwork.

An hour or two later, still listlessly signing documents, Kakashi was interrupted by a summons appearing right on top of his documents. His surprise at the appearance was compounded by finding it was one of Naruto’s toad summons.

“Yo, Kakashi-san,” the toad said with a salute. Then it slid a small box forward, saluted again, and disappeared in a small cloud of smoke.

He blinked at the box a moment before reaching for the note attached to the top.

_Hokage-sama – My apologies that you couldn’t enjoy the last cup of your favorite tea. Uchiha Fumiko_

Kakashi blinked, momentarily taken back to his first meeting with Fumiko when she hadn’t let him enjoy his tea. He opened the box to find several bags of his favorite blend, and he smiled. So, she wasn’t a complete pain in the ass, after all. 

But, really, this was the first _kind_ thing he could easily remember someone doing for him in a long time. One didn’t find a lot of selfless acts of kindness in the shinobi world. (Not that this was _selfless_ , per se; she _had_ deprived him of the tea to begin with and was only apologizing.) In fact, the last time something like this had happened to him was when he was a kid – whenever he’d gone out with the other kids in his class, sometimes he’d gone back alone the next day to get something, and the proprietor would give it to him for free. Though it usually only happened when he’d actually wanted to eat whatever it was that had been ordered, but he hadn’t been able to because…

Kakashi frowned thoughtfully. He hadn’t been able to partake because Fumiko had been staring at him those times, preventing him from lowering his mask. And then, he’d go back the next day and… What had each of those proprietors said? _It’s been taken care of._

Had Fumiko…? 

Kakashi shook his head. That was a ridiculous thought. 

Sighing, he sat the box aside, promising himself a nice cup in another hour or so, and resumed signing the never-ending documents about something or another. A few minutes passed in silence, save for the scratching of the brush against the parchment, and then all hell broke loose as his door swung open.

“Kakashi! My eternal rival!”

Kakashi put his palm to his face and sighed. “Gai.” He looked up to see his friend wheeling himself into his office. “How did you even get up the stairs?”

“Come now, Kakashi! Though I cannot walk properly, there is nothing wrong with my hands. And though my springtime of youth has passed, the passionate, red-hot days of summer still allow for the training of mind and body!” Gai smiled, his teeth glinting in the sunlight filtering in through the windows.

Kakashi sighed again. “And what can I help you with, Gai?”

His friend’s smile faded, and he pinned Kakashi with a serious gaze. “Tell me, Kakashi – is it true that our youthful classmate Uchiha Fumiko is alive and here in Konoha?”

Kakashi’s brows raised. “Ah, yes, as a matter of fact, she is. Where did you hear about it?”

Gai didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he began to tremble slightly, his head bowed, and then he flung it backward, tears streaming down his face as his fist clenched in the air. “What miracle is this, my eternal rival?! She is the very epitome of Uchiha charm and refinement, and to know her youthful vigor and green spring has not been ended untimely brings me joy and relief like nothing else!”

Kakashi could only watch, wide-eyed, as Gai threw an arm across his eyes and cried more. When the tears began to subside, Kakashi was going to say something to further calm the man, when Gai cried out with youthful… something.

“My good friends! Come in! Kakashi has revealed the truth, and we should all rejoice in it!”

Kakashi was proud to say he didn’t flinch as many people poured into his office from random places, until what looked like his entire genin class filled the room – Genma, Raidou, Aoba, Kurenai, Anko, and Ebisu all gathered around Gai. He surveyed them in surprise, his eyes still wide. “What in the world is going on?”

Kurenai bowed her head with a small smile. “Shikamaru stopped by for a visit and informed me that one Uchiha Fumiko had returned from some long mission and was the Uchiha clan head. I was shocked, of course, that another Uchiha showed up, but to think it was Fumiko-chan… Well, we had to ask.”

Kakashi nodded his head slowly. “Yes, it’s Fumiko.”

Looks of wonder and relief crossed everyone’s faces, and Gai looked like he was going to cry again. Kakashi was confused at the reaction until he realized that his friends and classmates had remained at the Academy a little longer than he had and had probably formed a stronger bond with Fumiko. And he supposed learning that a comrade long thought dead was actually not brought some sort of comfort to the group.

“What happened?” Kurenai asked, and the excited murmurs died down as everyone focused on Kakashi. Kurenai blushed as she continued, “Only if you can tell us, of course. We’d ask Fumiko-chan ourselves, but we wanted to make sure we didn’t… talk about something we shouldn’t.”

Kakashi’s eyes widened slightly in understanding. While he’d told Tsunade that _he_ hadn’t been engaged enough to know the details of Fumiko’s last mission, that didn’t mean the others didn’t. He took a deep breath. “Well, from what I understand, after she returned from her last mission, she was disowned by her father. Apparently, after being shunned by the clan head and elders, the rest of the clan followed their lead and ostracized her. She,” he paused, wondering if he really should be repeating this, but figured they were mature enough not to mention it. “She couldn’t handle that kind of treatment, so she asked Sandaime to send her away.”

“Before the massacre?” Genma asked.

“Obviously,” Ebisu answered with a sniff.

Kakashi sighed. “Yes, before the massacre. He sent her to the Land of Iron, where she’s been for the past thirteen years. She basically assimilated with the samurai and, as General Mifune relates, became a captain in their ranks and a kenjutsu master.”

Anko whistle. “A kenjutsu master, eh? We don’t have very many of those anymore. Have you evaluated her skills?”

Kakashi shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. “No, though we may get the chance if she decides to take the Jounin Exam. But I do know something interesting – on their way here, she, Sasuke, and Naruto were attacked by some rogue ninja. I dispatched ANBU for collection, and they informed me that the area where the attack occurred had been reduced to rubble. I assumed Naruto and Sasuke had gotten a little heavy-handed, but Sasuke indicated the destruction was caused by Uchiha-san.”

“Really?” Anko said, her eyes shining. “Sounds like a woman after my own heart.”

“Friends!” Gai shouted. “We must find our wayward friend! Kakashi – where might she be?”

Kakashi blinked. “I have no idea.”

Gai gasped dramatically. “How can you not know, my rival?”

Kakashi grunted. “It’s not like she’s Sasuke,” he said. Then he eyed everyone. “No one repeats that.” Then he tilted his head thoughtfully. “Though, there’s a good bet she’s with Sasuke now, so…” He trailed off and went about searching for Sasuke’s charka, unsurprised when he found it with Naruto’s. “He and Naruto are at Training Ground Three. She may be there, too.”

“Yosh!” Gai yelled. “Then we shall go to Training Ground Three! Quickly, youthful friends!”

Gai swiftly wheeled himself out of his office, and everyone but Kurenai followed. She stayed behind and gave Kakashi a thoughtful look. “Will you join us, Kakashi?”

Kakashi was ready to decline, but his eyes caught sight of the box of tea next to a teetering stack of documents awaiting his signature. He certainly didn’t want to sign anymore documents…

“I guess.”

Kurenai smiled at him and waited for him to round his desk before linking their arms and leading him out of the tower.

 

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto backflipped away from the stream of flames, landing in a crouch and panting as he eyed Sasuke across the training field. They had been sparring for _hours_ , and while his stamina was impressive, he was also starting to get hungry. Plus, he was really tired of getting burned. Naruto was much better at close combat, which Sasuke knew, and he was making Naruto keep his distance with the constant fire techniques. Sure, Kurama healed him pretty quickly, but it hurt like a bitch when it happened.

Sasuke shifted, his hand coming up to form the signs of another flame jutsu, but at the last second, Sasuke’s attention turned to the side, the flame jutsu streaming out at nothing, and then he leapt backwards and pulled out his sword. Naruto blinked as he watched Sasuke… fight the air?

“Get ready, Naruto-kun,” someone whispered behind him. He jolted and sprang up and around, finding Fumiko standing behind him. “No, get back in the position you were in.” Naruto furrowed his brow in confusion, but he did as she said, getting back down in the position he’d been in, his eyes flitting to find Sasuke still fighting an invisible opponent.

Fumiko knelt next to him. “Sasuke is using the flames to keep you at a distance and to tire you out.” Naruto nodded; he’d figured that much out. “And you are playing into that by avoiding the flames.”

“Of course! I don’t want to get burned.”

“How’s that working out for you?” Fumiko asked with a wry smile. Naruto glared slightly at her. She shook her head. “Everyone makes the same mistake against katon. _Dodging_ the flames is what gets you burnt.” She turned her head to watch Sasuke with Naruto. “When Sasuke aims his next katon at you, go straight through it, Naruto-kun – dead-center. You will still get burned, but it will be less and less severe. And it will get you in striking distance. But be prepared for a swift counter.”

Naruto nodded. Sasuke flipped in the air and landed in his original position. He let loose another katon, and Naruto tensed to… jump into it, he guessed, but Fumiko put a restraining hand on his shoulders.

“When I say go,” she said. The katon stopped, and now they were as they’d been before Fumiko arrived. “Now,” she said as she jumped away.

Naruto launched himself at Sasuke, who brought up his hand for another katon. The stream of flames headed straight for Naruto, and instead of dodging, he barreled right through it. And when he came out the other side, Sasuke’s eyes were wide in surprise, but as Fumiko warned, his sword was up immediately to counter the kunai Naruto brought up. But Naruto was also known to be crafty, so as their momentum sent them backward, a small flower behind Sasuke revealed itself to be one of his clones.

Sasuke’s back collided with the clone, who’s hand tipped the hilt of Sasuke’s sword just enough that Naruto could move his kunai with the blade and send it spinning from Sasuke’s hand. Then he dispelled his clone and brought his weight down on Sasuke, sending them crashing to the ground.

Naruto looked down at Sasuke, a smirk and smart remark ready on his lips, but he was distracted by how Sasuke looked. He was panting slightly, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. His hair had fallen back, and his Rinnegan was visible. His face was slightly pink and his lips slightly chapped, probably from the multiple katon, and the whole sight was… fascinating. Naruto had never seen Sasuke look like this, and it was kind of mesmerizing. 

“Are you going to get off me anytime soon, moron?” Sasuke asked, though not with any of his usual annoyance.

Naruto blinked and blushed as he moved from atop Sasuke. “Sorry!” he said as he fumbled back onto his butt. His heart was racing, but for some reason, he didn’t think it was due to the fight. Sasuke released a breath and sat up. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, using the material to wipe the sweat from his body. Naruto found himself staring, so he quickly averted his eyes. He felt embarrassed, and he didn’t know why. He saw Sasuke shirtless a bunch of times. Frowning, Naruto shook his head slightly and shoved the moment into the box at the back of his mind with the rest of these kind of thoughts. That box, though, was starting to overflow a bit.

“Well done, Naruto-kun,” Fumiko said as she appeared next to them, a smile on her face.

Sasuke shot a look at her, surprised to see her, then looked at Naruto. “That was crazy, Naruto. You might have Kurama’s healing abilities, but you could have still been harmed.”

Naruto pouted. “Fumiko-chan’s the one who told me to do it.”

Sasuke looked surprised to hear that. “When?” He looked up at Fumiko. “You just got here.”

Fumiko laughed as she sat beside them on the grass. “Actually, I’ve been watching for a while. But I thought Naruto could use some advice on how to handle a katon user.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “When? How?” he asked.

Fumiko smirked. “Well,” she said, “Maybe I took an opportunity to cast a genjutsu over you so that you thought you were still fighting Naruto, when in fact, I was talking to him.”

Naruto’s eyes widened with Sasuke’s. “How did you trap Sasuke of all people in a genjutsu?”

Fumiko shrugged. “The key to casting genjutsu is to make the illusion as close to reality as possible so that the victim never has a chance to think that something is wrong. I said I was watching for a while, Naruto-kun – I got enough intel on your fighting style to seamlessly continue the battle in the genjutsu. Nothing seemed out of place to Sasuke, so he never realized.”

Naruto nodded. He had never been all that good at genjutsu, but that made sense to him. Fumiko continued as she ran her fingers over the grass.

“You see, Naruto-kun, others use genjutsu to alter reality – they use visuals that cause psychological pain or wipe reality away altogether and replace it with fantasy. But the weakness in that strategy is that people with fine chakra control can sense the underlying disturbance in the normal chakra flows. Another is that people with strong personalities can subconsciously sense something wrong with the alternate realities; they start to wonder if what they’re seeing is real.”

Naruto nodded as Sasuke said, “So, you don’t alter reality. You use genjutsu to continue the semblance of reality and subtly lead it to the conclusion you desire.”

“Yes,” she said, smiling at Sasuke.

Naruto frowned. “But if Sasuke was in a genjutsu, why was he still moving around like he was fighting?”

Fumiko hummed. “Because Sasuke has a strong personality and decent chakra control. If I had him fighting in the genjutsu, but not moving in reality, he could subconsciously realize that his energy and chakra levels weren’t lowering, even though he was physically exerting himself. I had to support the genjutsu with actions in reality.”

Naruto shook his head. “I still don’t get it. Sasuke has the Sharingan.”

Fumiko laughed again. “Naruto-kun, Sharingan users aren’t impervious to genjutsu. And conversely, you don’t need the Sharingan to create an unbreakable genjutsu. In fact, the Sharingan is better used for mind control rather than genjutsu.”

“Mind control? Like the Yamanaka?” Naruto asked.

Fumiko shook her head and held up her pointer finger, waggling it back and forth in front of Naruto’s face. “Absolutely not, Naruto-kun. The Yamanaka use mind transfer and _body_ control. The Sharingan has capabilities that take over portions of or the entirety of another’s mind.” She lowered her finger. “Like all genjutsu, the Sharingan can control the occipital lobe of the brain, the vision center, and make someone see what isn’t there. But it can go much further than a genjutsu. The Sharingan can control the temporal lobe and reconstruct recent memories; it can control the parietal lobe and make one feel pain, even in an illusion; it can control the frontal lobe and direct the victim’s movement. The Sharingan can literally control someone’s mind.” She smiled. “But of course, it can only work if you make eye contact with a Sharingan user. So, such a powerful technique has a pretty obvious weakness. However, so few shinobi are trained to fight without keeping an eye on the opponent.”

“Whoa,” Naruto breathed out. “You know a lot.” He looked at Sasuke. He had a thoughtful frown on his face as he looked at the ground. “Did you not know that, bastard?” he asked.

Sasuke threw him a half-hearted glare. “Not… specifically.”

Fumiko reached out and lightly touched Sasuke’s hand. “Well, you wouldn’t know the specifics. You learned how to use your Sharingan by yourself and through instinct, I’m sure.”

“How do you know so much about the Sharingan, oba-san?”

Naruto looked at Fumiko. She smiled sadly as she said, “Fugaku-nii taught me what to expect.”

 _But she never got a chance to use those lessons, huh?_ Because Fumiko didn’t have the Sharingan. The mood was a little tense, so Naruto tried to change the subject. “Hey, hey, Fumiko-chan,” he said. “Do you have other tricks for defeating katon users?”

“Yes, many,” she said with a sharp grin, but Naruto also thought it was a little bit sad. “A lot of them involve a sword, though.”

“Show me!” Naruto cried excitedly. But then his stomach growled, and he ducked his head down as he laughed and blushed.

Fumiko laughed with him as Sasuke huffed out an amused breath. “All right – one. And then we get lunch.” She stood and smiled at Sasuke. “Will you assist?”

He nodded and stood gracefully, the muscles of his abs tightening and smoothing as he moved. Naruto turned away from the sight and gulped. What the hell was wrong with him?!

Shaking his head again, he turned to sit with his legs crossed, watching as Fumiko pulled a scroll out and unsealed a katana. He marveled at the intricate design. It was so different from Sasuke’s simple blade, so… ornate. The saya was covered in a beautiful black lacquer that gleamed in the sun, and the tsuka was wrapped in blood-red samegawa with silver trappings. He watched as Fumiko slowly pulled the blade from the sheath.

“This is my longest blade, Kogitsune. I use it for fire jutsu, both to attack with and defend from. Sasuke, if you would, please direct a stream of flames at me.”

Sasuke nodded and brought his hand up to perform a katon. He put his fingers to his lips and blew a stream of fire directly at Fumiko. Naruto watched wide-eyed as she didn’t budge. She merely began spinning her sword with one hand, increasing the speed until it was just like a spinning wheel, and it caught the flames and shielded her from them until Sasuke ran out of steam and the stream of flames died out. As the last of the flames hit the sword, Fumiko abruptly stopped it with a flourish, so that the final flames surrounded her in a wreath of fire and blinked harmlessly out of existence.

Naruto stared at her, mouth agape, as he took in her very unburnt figure. She sheathed the sword, the metallic _click_ of the tsuka against the saya ringing in the silence. He was trying to find the right words to express how frickin’ awesome that had been, but he was stopped by a loud cry from off to the side.

“What beautiful mastery of one’s weapon!” Gai yelled out, streams of tears falling from his eyes.

Naruto stood as the large group of shinobi approached, Kurenai and Kakashi bringing up the rear and Gai somehow leading the charge – wheelchair and all. 

“Fumiko-san!” Gai cried as they reached their small group. “Is it really you? What miracle is this that you are alive and here with your friends once more?” he said as he reached out for her hand that wasn’t holding the sword.

Before he could grab her hand, Kakashi placed his hand heavily on Gai’s shoulder, stopping the man’s forward movement. “Gai, let’s not overwhelm her with your… youthful greetings.” He patted Gai on the shoulder – hard – and turned his attention to Fumiko.

“Pardon the intrusion, Uchiha-san, but our classmates heard about your return and wanted to see you.”

Naruto looked at Fumiko and watched her take in everyone with wide eyes. As she did, she seemed to mindlessly reseal her sword in the scroll and tuck it away. Then her eyes landed on Gai and narrowed as she took in the wheelchair.

“Oh, Maito-kun,” she said softly as she knelt in front of him, her hands fleetingly touching parts of the wheelchair. “You’re… you’re… still wearing that stretchy onesie.” She frowned as she stared at the green material.

Naruto nearly face-palmed. Okay, so she wasn’t going to make a big deal about the wheelchair. He watched as her other classmates snickered and Gai expounded on the greatness of his green ensemble once again.

“But if you dislike it, Fumiko-san, I shall find something new to wear!” he finished. Everyone gazed at Gai in shock at the offer.

“What’s gotten in to you?” Anko asked as she leaned over Gai to eye him suspiciously. After a moment, she smirked. “Oh, I get it,” she said slyly. “You like Fumiko-chan, don’t you?”

Gai turned red as he stammered out denials, and all his friends laughed at him and teased him about finally being interested in girls – everyone but Fumiko. Naruto caught it as she carefully inched herself away from Gai and the group, a tense smile on her face, but her eyes kind of blank. Naruto looked back at the group to see if anyone else had noticed, and he found Kakashi staring at Fumiko discreetly.

He looked at Sasuke, who caught his eye and nodded, indicating he had seen it all, too. Naruto looked back at Fumiko and frowned. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but Fumiko was upset about something. Or maybe not upset, but she was definitely distancing herself from the discussion.

“Anyway, Fumiko-chan,” Kurenai said as she came up to them, leaving the guys and Anko to their teasing. “We were hoping you’d be willing to join us for lunch to catch up. We’re all… extremely pleased to know that you’re alive.” She smiled encouragingly.

“Oh, well,” Fumiko began, leaning back toward Naruto and Sasuke, but Naruto stopped her.

“It’s okay, Fumiko-chan. Go on with your classmates. I need a shower anyway.” He smiled at her. “Me and Sasuke will join up with you later.”

She blinked at him before nodding slowly. “All right, Naruto-kun.” He waved to them all as they trekked from the field and watched as Kakashi moved so that he was just in front of and to the side of Fumiko, keeping her just the slightest bit separated from Genma, Aoba, and Ebisu, who were arguing and shoving each other playfully in front of them.

Naruto’s hand slowly fell to his side. “You saw that, right?” he asked quietly. Sasuke grunted an agreement. “Fumiko-chan’s behavior changed as soon as they mentioned Bushier-Brow-sensei having a crush on her.”

“And Kakashi protected her from being touched twice,” Sasuke added.

“I’m not sure what it all means, but… I don’t think it’s good.”

“I’m surprised to find that I agree.”

“Shut up, bastard,” Naruto said automatically. 

“And, believe it or not, you had an excellent idea. I’m going to get a shower. Then we’ll talk about it. Ramen in half an hour.” Sasuke disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Naruto trying to figure out what was going on with Fumiko. But then what Sasuke had said finally caught up with him – Sasuke had invited him for ramen. It wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary, but for some reason, this time, it felt extraordinary. And as Naruto made his way to his apartment to shower and get ready, it was a feeling he decided not to put in the box – to examine it a little more closely. Maybe.

~*~

Shikamaru frowned as he stared at the shogi board, his mind racing with the information Ino had given him this morning.

The Elders – _and the Sandaime, let’s not forget him_ – had ordered the Uchiha clan murdered in cold blood. By Uchiha Itachi, of all people. Who was basically blackmailed with Sasuke’s life to do so and then forced to join Akatsuki. Oh, and send information back to Sandaime on the organization, which _somehow_ helped them _not at all_ when Akatsuki finally attacked. Shikamaru had to wonder if Itachi even sent information, or if he did, if Sandaime had kept the intel to himself. 

But that was beside the point. Ino had railed about how the Elders were still sitting on their high horses and directing their actions, even after Rokudaime had dismissed them from their position, and Shikamaru couldn’t find the rationale to disagree with her heated proclamation that the Elders needed to be held accountable. But not exactly because of what they did to the Uchiha. They had been planning a coup, after all. But who was to say that the Elders wouldn’t come to think that another clan was getting too influential? What if they turned against Naruto? Sweet gods, what if they decided Sasuke and Fumiko shouldn’t “be here”? Shikamaru had to stop them before that could even have a possibility of happening, or else Naruto would probably raze Konoha to the ground. If Sasuke didn’t do it first.

Shikamaru sighed. How stupid could the Elders be?

His eyes refocused on the shogi board. So, he had an idea – no one would go for death, even as he was sure that Sasuke would be all for that (though he was no longer a clan head and had no say) – but there were other options. He was sure the Akimichi, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans would easily fall in line, but the Hyuuga would probably stubbornly hold out. 

So… he was probably going to have to get Hinata involved. Though she had not been given the heiress title back, her status in the Hyuuga clan had gotten better. She was respected as the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi and as the potential future wife of the future Hokage (and boy, would Naruto be surprised when he finally found out). But whatever. She had _clout_ now, and Shikamaru would use it.

He stood up and exited to the outer hall, stepping down to the courtyard to put his shoes on.

“I’ll be back later, Kaa-san!” he said as he walked out.

~*~

Kakashi walked toward the restaurant, his hands buried in his pockets as he remained a seemingly inattentive sentinel between his classmates and Fumiko. He’d seen it – the minute stiffening of Fumiko’s body as Gai had reached out to grab her hand. It wasn’t proximity – she’d been awfully close to Gai as she’d kneeled by his chair – but the attempt to touch her was the trigger. And Kakashi, accidental audience to her confession – well, he’d named himself a guardian of sorts, at least when he could do so unobtrusively.

They arrived at the restaurant, and Kakashi came up short as he watched everyone enter in front of him, filling up the spots at the long table until the only seats left were ones not facing the entrance, one next to the wall and one next to Ebisu. Fumiko came to a stop next to him.

Uh…

“Uchiha-san,” he murmured lowly. “Why don’t you take the seat by the wall?” He saw her glance at him from the corner of his eye. “Less chance your eating habits will be critiqued.” He smiled behind his mask, his eyes creasing as he saw a small smile flit across her lips.

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” she replied softly and moved to seat herself. Once she was situated, Kakashi took a quick breath and slipped between her and Ebisu, trying and mostly succeeding in not brushing against her. When he was settled, Fumiko breathed out quietly, “So, should I allow you to eat this time?”

He turned his head slightly, staring at her in mild surprise as she recalled aloud what Kakashi had only just been thinking about that morning. She chuckled as she perused the menu Kurenai laid out in front of her, and Kakashi had an urge to ask her what he’d dismissed as ridiculous earlier. But before he could, Anko slapped the tabletop and pointed at them with a sharp, “Hey, hey, no low-talking!”

Kakashi whipped his attention to Anko, smiling as he said, “There’s no low-talking, Anko.” She glared at him in suspicion. “I was merely thanking her for taking the seat by the wall,” he said.

“Why? You like Ebisu?” Anko asked, her grin sharp and predatory. Kakashi tried to keep from scowling at the ridiculous notion of him and Ebisu.

“I have my money on Yamato, myself,” Genma said from the other side of Ebisu.

Kakashi did let his face fall at that.

“Or Iruka,” Aoba added.

Kakashi’s jaw dropped just a little, too. Did all his subordinates – because they sure as hell weren’t _friends_ , with this drivel spewing from their mouths – really think he was-

“Kakashi!” Gai cried out as he slammed his hands against the table. “Has your green spring yet to come because you are too shy to tell us you are looking for the perfect boyfriend?!”

There was silence in the restaurant. The workers and other patrons were still, twitching in place as they tried not to turn and gawk, he could tell. Kakashi’s eyes were wide as he stared at Gai’s red, insistent face. And then-

Fumiko snorted next to him. He slowly – ever so slowly – turned his head to look at her. She had her right arm leaned on the table, while the left was up, her hand clamped over her mouth. She was facing the wall, but he could see her body trembling faintly with restrained laughter. Then she snorted again. And again. And then she erupted in laughter.

She turned to look at Kakashi, her eyes bright and face flushed. “If… If that’s the case, Hokage-sama,” she said between laughs, “I think you’ve been reading the wrong books.”

Raidou and Genma snickered and sputtered until they were outright laughing, and then the whole table was laughing. Except Kakashi. He was still staring at Fumiko because-

She might be a pain in his ass, but when she laughed like that, she was really kind of… pretty.

A waitress came by the table then, her eyes both trying to avoid him and purposefully sneaking furtive glances. Kakashi sighed as he ordered the takoyaki and a water. When she’d gotten everyone’s order and left, the conversation finally moved on from him to Fumiko.

“So, Fumiko-san,” Gai started, “Kakashi tells us you’ve been in Iron for a very long time. What can you tell us about that?”

Fumiko blinked at the question. “Oh, well, there’s nothing much to tell. It was a diplomatic mission. Sandaime-sama felt that the shinobi world could afford to become better acquainted with the samurai world, so he sent me to Iron.”

“It must have been hard to acclimate,” Kurenai said gently. 

Fumiko shrugged. “They weren’t exactly welcoming. But some… things happened, and eventually they accepted me.”

“What things?” Ebisu asked.

Fumiko pursed her lips. “Well, women aren’t exactly on equal footing there. The samurai kind of wanted nothing to do with me. I would stand about and watch the men train and the women clean and not know what to do with myself. And one day, a matron huffed at me and said, ‘If you’re not going to be helpful, then learn to wield a sword.’ So, I did.” She smiled a shy, almost private smile, perhaps at some unshared memory.

“Kakashi says your skills have been praised by that old general,” Anko said.

Fumiko’s smile was still shy, but a little bigger at that. “Well, I learned really well.”

“I’ll bet,” Anko said as the waitress returned with their orders. “We only saw that one move against Sasuke, but it sure was something. I’d say we should all learn to wield swords, just to be able to defend against katon users.”

Fumiko’s face was thoughtful as she broke apart her chopsticks. “I guess I could teach you. I got really good at teaching over the years.”

“Oh yeah?” Anko asked, her mouth stuffed with karaage. 

“Well, I am a samurai captain in charge of training troops.” She shrugged and then blushed slightly. “I mean, I was.”

That reminded Kakashi of Ino’s suggestion that morning, and casually said after slipping a piece of takoyaki behind the mask, “I agree with Anko that all of us could probably learn something useful from you regarding swordsmanship. Maybe we could work something out for you to be a sensei here.”

“That,” Fumiko said, her eyes slowly moving to stare down at her food. “That might be nice,” she muttered. And then the conversation turned to other things, like Kurenai’s kid and how Gai got injured, each of their classmates looking to catch Fumiko up on the past thirteen years.

Eventually, Kakashi felt a disturbance in the force and turned slightly to see Shikamaru standing behind him, his arms crossed as he gazed lazily among them. “Hokage-sama, I need to speak with you in your office.” His eyes very discreetly moved to Fumiko, and Kakashi understood.

He excused himself from the table, turning his back to them, but not before catching a glimpse of… something on Fumiko’s face. Satisfaction, maybe? Odd. 

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Kakashi lithely jumped to the nearest roof, Shikamaru following, and they ran back to his office, where all his paperwork greeted him as they popped in through the open window. Shikamaru eyed it as Kakashi sat behind the desk, shrugging at Shikamaru’s exasperated sigh. That’ll teach him to take a day off.

“All right. For what purpose did you interrupt my lunch?” he asked cheekily.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he leaned his hip on Kakashi’s desk. “So, Ino stopped by this morning to tell me what the Elders did – about the massacre.” Kakashi tilted his head to the side, prompting Shikamaru to continue. “Well, she pointed out how neither one of us really wanted to go along with the arranged marriage, but the Elders had talked to the clan elders.”

“And?”

Shikamaru clicked his tongue. “You’ve already stripped them of their power, but nothing can take away their influence. Nothing short of full disclosure, anyway.”

Kakashi nodded. “You want to out the Elders and hold them accountable for what happened to the Uchiha.”

Shikamaru nodded. “I’m not necessarily asking for your permission, but as I maneuver between the clans, I would at least like to have your backing.”

Kakashi let out a sigh of his own. “Well, I guess so. Maybe it will stop Naruto from growling at the Elders whenever they’re in the same room.”

Shikamaru laughed shortly. “We can only hope. We don’t need the next Hokage growling at people.”

“So, what do you plan to do?”

“I think the first step is to inform the clan heads about what happened and convince them that something needs to be done.”

Kakashi sighed and leaned his head back, his eyes taking in the drab color of the ceiling. “You know, Naruto told me that Itachi’s last wish was that the village not know the truth.” He shifted his eyes down to Shikamaru.

“Yes, well, his philosophy of letting sleeping dogs lie has one flaw: eventually, the dogs wake up and attack, even without provocation.”

“All right,” he finally said, and Shikamaru left his office with a nod. Kakashi turned his eyes to the view from the window and hoped that Shikamaru pulled off whatever he had planned. Because, at this point, he honestly didn’t know if the “dogs” were the Elders or the Uchiha.

~*~

Homura sat quietly with his eyes closed as he and Koharu waited in a meeting room in the old, underground ROOT compound. Since they’d been stripped of their council seats, they couldn’t use any of the rooms in the Hokage Tower, but maybe this was better, all in all. They were plotting something against the Uchiha again, after all.

Of course, it was also appropriate for the fact that Koharu was calling on the services of the disbanded ROOT members that still lived in Konoha, quietly and hidden. Not all of them had been eager to integrate with the Hokage’s shinobi after Danzo’s death.

Koharu shifted next to him, and he opened his eyes. After a moment, the candle flames fluttered, and a robed and masked shinobi appeared before them.

“Honorable Elders,” he said quietly as he knelt before them.

“Shinobi,” Koharu answered with a nod. “We thank you for answering our summons.”

“The Elders still embody Danzo-sama’s beliefs. If I can be of help, I will do all I can.”

“That is a comforting thought,” Koharu said. “Danzo was always finding the most efficient means by which to protect this village, including eliminating anyone who threatened our stability and prosperity. And we seem to be facing that same threat again.” Koharu breathed through her nose for a moment. “You must find a way to eliminate Uchiha Fumiko.”

The shinobi was silent for a moment. Without moving, he asked, “And Uchiha Sasuke?”

Koharu shifted uneasily in the ensuing silence. Homura closed his eyes as he let out a quiet breath. Even if Sasuke wasn’t as powerful as he was – for, of course, word of his Rinnegan and sage-like powers had reached them – touching Uchiha Sasuke would bring down the ire of the Rokudaime – the feared Hatake Kakashi – and the jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto. And, of late, anyone who angered the jinchūriki angered his friends, most of whom already were or would soon be clan heads. Or kage.

“Uchiha Sasuke is to be left alone, for now,” Homura grumbled. “Focus your efforts on the Uchiha clan head.”

The shinobi nodded and disappeared, leaving Homura and Koharu to contemplate the consequences of the order they’d just given.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh. Was that enough shounen-ai? Probably not... >_> And, yes, I'm kinda taking some liberties with genjutsu and the Sharingan, but... *shrugs*
> 
> Thanks for the comments on this fic so far! I appreciate all of them! 'Til next time!


	10. Chapter 10

Sasuke frowned down at the ground as he waited for Naruto. For a while, the frown had been brought on by thoughts of what could have caused Fumiko’s behavior, but as it came closer and closer to the time he was supposed to meet up with Naruto, it was brought on by why he had offered to have ramen with the blond. Not that he hadn’t done it before, but…

“Hey, bastard!”

Sasuke looked up at the shouted greeting, pushing himself off the wall of Ramen Ichiraku as Naruto made his way to him. The blond was in a casual blue tee and beige cargo pants, a look that had Sasuke raising a brow. Not that he hadn’t ever seen this kind of casual wear on the blond before, but…

“Moron,” he greeted back.

Naruto smiled as he strode past Sasuke right into the restaurant. Sasuke followed at a slower pace, taking in again how the place had changed after the war; he’d been too preoccupied with Sakura’s words the last time he was here to really pay attention. He eventually reached Naruto, already seated at the bar, and he climbed into the stool next to him.

“Ah, I can’t wait for my ramen,” Naruto said, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm. He turned to smile at Sasuke. “I already ordered yours, bastard.”

“Hn,” was all he said. Soon enough, a large bowl was sat in front of either of them, and Naruto tore apart his chopsticks and dug in. Sasuke carefully picked up his chopsticks and broke them apart with his fingers, saying a breathy ‘thanks for the food’ before dipping them into the broth and pulling up his first bite of noodles.

Next to him, Naruto lifted his bowl and slurped his broth, setting it down with a _bang_ and immediately ordering another bowl. Then he turned to Sasuke, his easy-going smile replaced with a frown. “So, what do you think of what happened earlier?”

Sasuke pressed his lips together as he dipped his chopsticks in the broth again, his thoughts brought back to Fumiko. Sasuke called to mind the discussion with Tsunade and Kakashi the other morning – _defective and damaged goods_. She’d been held for months, tortured and who knows what else. But based on her actions – her reactions, really – Sasuke would guess…

“When she was captured during her last mission, she was held by Iwa shinobi for months before she escaped. And she seems to shy away from contact with _men_ , so…” He trailed off, cutting his eyes to Naruto, whose eyes squinted in thought before they widened in realization.

“She was… r-… assaulted?” Naruto whispered. Sasuke didn’t miss the way Naruto stumbled over the word, and he didn’t blame him. All of the blood and death, hate and rage, they had experienced in their short lives, and none of it had ever involved something like this.

“Probably,” he said softly, and he refused to talk about it anymore. It was Fumiko’s business, but if they were right, it wouldn’t hurt to be little more on guard for her, like Kakashi seemed to be.

Naruto must have read his resolve, since he turned back to his new bowl of ramen and began to inhale it. When he finished that one, he ordered another and turned back to Sasuke. “So, you going to take Kakashi-sensei up on his offer for jounin?”

He shrugged as he sat down his chopsticks. “I told Fumiko-oba that I would think about it.”

“I think you should. When I’m Hokage, I’m going to need you to have the rank to back up the things we’re gonna do.” He looked up at that, Naruto’s eyes trained on him, a solemn seriousness coloring them a deeper blue than normal. He leaned closer to Sasuke. “We’re gonna change the fucking world,” he whispered with a smirk.

Sasuke couldn’t help it – he smirked back. There was just something about Naruto that made Sasuke… comfortable. Despite the history between them, just a simple look from Naruto made it all kind of… melt away. Even when he made himself miserable thinking he didn’t deserve Naruto’s forgiveness.

“Maybe I will, then,” he said, and Naruto pulled back with a satisfied smile. After a moment, Sasuke asked, “Is Sakura also getting this special promotion?”

Naruto’s smile fell as he looked down at the counter, his third bowl forgotten for the moment. He shrugged. “Kakashi-sensei offered. I mean, she did help us stop Kaguya and everything. But Sakura said she didn’t feel like she earned the promotion. She’s going to take the exam in a couple of weeks.”

Sasuke frowned slightly as he looked down at his lap. He supposed it was her choice.

“I think you should also convince Fumiko-chan to take the exam. We need more jounin.”

Sasuke looked up at Naruto. “I don’t see the point, not if she can’t be near men.”

Naruto grunted as he finally started eating his third bowl, though at a much slower rate than before. He ate two bunches of noodles before saying, “She can be a jounin _instructor_ , Sasuke. She didn’t seem to have a problem teaching those samurai boys in Iron.”

The moron had a point, surprisingly. But Sasuke refrained from pointing out that she probably wouldn’t be able to take missions with her genin outside of the village. Or maybe Naruto meant at the Academy – though most of the teachers were chuunin. But that might work. But again, the choice wasn’t his. Fumiko would do what she would do.

Naruto tipped his third bowl up and drained it, setting it down on the counter with another _thunk_. Naruto wiped his mouth with the back of his arm again and shouted a thanks to the proprietor. Sasuke reached into his pocket for his wallet, mentally calculating the cost of four bowls after a quick look at the price listed on the wall.

“What are you doing?” Naruto asked. There was something about his voice that made Sasuke look over at him as he placed the bills down on the counter. 

“Paying, what does it look like?” he asked with an eyebrow raised. Was that a blush spreading across the moron’s cheeks?

“Whatever. It’s not like I asked you to pay,” Naruto said as he jumped off the stool and stomped to the exit.

Thoroughly confused by what had just happened, Sasuke followed, his eyes narrowed in thought as he walked behind the blond. After a minute or two of silence, Naruto turned around and smiled at him like nothing strange had just occurred. 

“So, what do you want to do now? Want to find Fumiko-chan?”

Sasuke was going to answer – nothing in particular; just hanging out with Naruto sounded… nice – but before he could, someone called the blond’s name from behind them. They both turned around to see the Hyuuga girl stopping just behind them, her hands clasped in front of her.

“Good afternoon, Sasuke-san, Naruto-kun,” she said as she bowed.

“Hey, Hinata!” Naruto greeted enthusiastically, drowning out Sasuke’s more subdued, “Hello.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could speak to you, Naruto-kun.” 

Sasuke cut his eye to Naruto, watching as his face scrunched up in confusion. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

A slight blush came to the girl’s cheeks. “Ah, I meant in private.”

Sasuke could feel Naruto still and tense next to him. “Oh. Okay. Um.” Sasuke turned to face Naruto and watched as the blond’s arm came up to rub at the back of his head. “Uh, Sasuke, I guess we’ll just… meet later?”

Sasuke hesitated – not entirely knowing why – before nodding. Naruto smiled uneasily at him and then turned it on the girl, gesturing for her to lead the way. Sasuke remained where he was, watching as Naruto and Hinata walked down the street, side by side. He saw all the nervous gestures each made as they got further and further away. He saw the few looks that the villagers and off-duty shinobi gave them as they made their way to wherever Hinata felt was a good place for her conversation. He noticed that his fist was clenched tightly by his side, and he lifted it clear of his cloak, gazing at it as he consciously untensed the muscles and flexed his fingers.

What was this feeling?

Whatever it was, Sasuke dismissed it and thought about tracking down Kakashi to get more information about becoming a jounin. Regardless of what Naruto and Hinata discussed – and the consequences thereof – it was still going to be him and Naruto, changing the fucking world, to use the moron’s words. Because Naruto didn’t go back on his word.

~*~

Hinata had come to the training ground to flow through some exercises, but she had been distracted all morning by the chakra she could feel from the next training ground over. Naruto and Sasuke – they were only sparring, but the power she could feel from both was astounding. She’d been staring, her Byakugan activated, watching them move across the field for hours, and she was starting to feel the strain.

Sighing, she deactivated her Byakugan and rubbed at her temples to relieve some of the pain. Not all of it was from overuse of the Byakugan, though. Some of it was from the intense thoughts she’d been mulling over since lunch with Fumiko the day before – specifically, what Sai had said when they’d all been leaving.

_[To me, he still seems to be single-mindedly obsessed with Uchiha.]_

Maybe the wording was rather harsh, but it had struck something in her: if one were to consider the life of Uzumaki Naruto, it was indelibly intertwined with the life of Uchiha Sasuke, even when Sasuke wasn’t there.

And it was comforting, to a certain degree, seeing them sparring together now. It made it seem like things had returned to normal in a way. 

But she could also see what Sai may have been implying – Naruto’s life was still all about Sasuke, despite everything and even though they were adults now – mostly – and supposed to be expanding their horizons. Naruto and Sasuke, however… They seemed content in their little bubble.

Not that it was a bad thing. Hinata didn’t know the whole story, but she had never believed that Sasuke had just left for no reason. And while it did look as though Sasuke had abandoned everyone and everything that could have possibly held meaning for him in Konoha, Naruto’s deep conviction that Sasuke had just been a little lost rang true to her. Their continued friendship after everything was kind of like Naruto’s reward for being right in his conviction.

Hinata shook her head. No, the strong bond between those two wasn’t a bad thing. But to those who didn’t agree, Hinata could only silently wonder… had anyone ever tried to be part of it?

Sakura, of course – she was on their genin team. But from things said and not said, Hinata gathered that Sakura was still on the outside looking in, like everyone else.

Shikamaru, Kiba, and Chouji had interacted with Naruto back in their Academy days and didn’t seem to hold any animosity like the other children, but Hinata knew they had never really sought Naruto’s companionship outside of lessons.

And who had ever tried to be friends with Sasuke? Even Naruto only ever had very contentious interactions with Sasuke, and the girls that flocked around him were just silly youths enamored by his looks and status.

So, no, no one had ever really tried. Not even when Sasuke had been gone, really. Because absolutely everyone besides Naruto had given up on Sasuke, there had been a wall between him and the rest of his friends that never really allowed them close, even though Naruto had still treated them all as something very precious to him.

Hinata sighed. Well, she was going to try to change that. Even if Naruto didn’t feel the same way about her as she did about him, she wanted to be part of their bond. Not included in it, per se, but close enough to let them know that they could depend on her as a friend, that they could find the support in her that they found in each other. 

It was the least she could do for two lonely boys who had saved the world.

“Hinata?”

Startled, Hinata lifted her head to see Sakura standing to her right, her hands clasped behind her back. “Oh, Sakura-san, hello.”

Sakura smiled. “Hi. Did I scare you? I never imagined someone could sneak up on a Hyuuga.”

Hinata laughed as she smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt. “Well, I’ve kind of exhausted myself this morning. What are you doing here, Sakura-san? Do you not have a shift at the hospital?”

Sakura lifted a hand to push a strand of her pink hair behind her ear. “Well, the Jounin Exam is coming up, so I’ve been given some time off to train.”

“Oh, of course! Do you need the field? I can leave for the day.”

“Oh, no!” Sakura said, lifting a hand to stay Hinata’s retreat. “I was actually looking for you.” Hinata stared quizzically, and Sakura laughed nervously. “Um, so, I was thinking the other day that I’d like to learn how to block the chakra points. I mean, I know where they all are in the body, but it takes precise training to know just how to strike to block the flow of chakra. And, as a Hyuuga, I thought you’d be an excellent teacher.”

Hinata blinked. No one had ever asked to be taught how to do that. It wasn’t that only the Hyuuga could, but Sakura was right – it took precision not only in strike point, but also in timing and impact, that only the Byakugan could potentially achieve.

“Um, I don’t mind, Sakura-san. I just… wouldn’t know where to start.”

Sakura brought her hands together with a _clap_ in front of her. “Oh, thanks, Hinata! And don’t worry. I know exactly how to do this. I want you to hit me and block my chakra points.”

“What?” Hinata asked, alarmed.

“It’s okay, Hinata. Without the Byakugan, the best way I figure to learn how to do it is to have you hit me and memorize how much chakra and strength you use while doing it.”

Hinata frowned. “I don’t know, Sakura-san.”

“No, it’s okay, really!” Sakura said as she pulled a marker and scroll from her utility pack at her hip. “Even if I get hurt, you know I can heal myself quickly.” She sat down on the ground and unfurled the scroll to reveal a diagram of the human body, her eyes scanning it quickly before she nodded and moved it to the side. “Okay, let’s start with these.” She pointed at the legs. “We’ll work our way up.”

Hinata hesitated before nodding in agreement. “Okay, Sakura-san,” and as Sakura stood up, Hinata began to point out and press on the points in her legs so that she could feel firsthand where they were on her body.

…

After about two hours, both girls collapsed on the ground exhausted. Hinata tried to catch her breath quietly, comparing how this felt to how she felt after sparring with Hinabi. While her sister was undoubtedly strong, she was a far cry from one of the neo-sannin.

As her breathing calmed, she reached out her senses to see if Naruto and Sasuke were still at it, only to find the area they’d occupied calm and deserted. If those two had called it quits for the day, then Hinata really needed to, or she wouldn’t be able to move tomorrow.

She looked over at Sakura. “You catch on quick, Sakura-san,” she said.

Sakura turned her head and smiled. “Thanks, Hinata. You’re a good teacher. I know I still don’t have it down, though. Would you be willing to practice with me until the exam?”

“Of course,” Hinata agreed. She bit her lip, contemplating if she wanted to ask this next question, but Sakura caught it and raised her brow in query. “Um, why do you want to learn how to do this? You can’t possibly have any doubts about your skill.”

Sakura smiled sadly. “Well, no, but… My skills are kind of… one dimensional. Before I trained with Tsunade-shishou, I was really only good at genjutsu. The only thing spectacular about me was my chakra control. And afterward…” She shrugged. “I was a great healer and could smash things to bits. And whoever I face in the exam knows that about me. They may know how to counter. I want to have an ace up my sleeve.” She smiled sharply.

“I see.”

“And…” Sakura trailed off, turning her gaze to the sky. “I want to prove to Fumiko-san that I’m strong enough to be Sasuke-kun’s support. I want her to think… to _know_ that I am a good match for him. And… I want Sasuke-kun to know it, too.”

Hinata didn’t comment. Despite what she believed would be the outcome deep down in her heart, she didn’t want to ruin Sakura’s hopes. It was something she and Sasuke would have to work out for themselves.

“So, when are you going to talk to Naruto?” Sakura asked as she sat up and leaned back on her arms, a sly smile aimed at Hinata.

Hinata could feel herself blush. “Um, soon?”

“Is that a question?” Sakura laughed. “Come on. I’ve confessed to Sasuke-kun.”

Hinata sat up hurriedly. “When?”

Sakura shrugged. “Before the clan head meeting, the night they got back from Iron. I just followed your advice and told him. It was kind of a relief.” She laughed lightly.

“What did he say?” Hinata asked in wonder.

“Nothing. ‘Thank you.’ I told him he didn’t have to say anything. I just wanted him to know.” She turned a sharp eye on Hinata. “Now it’s your turn to follow my advice! _Talk to him._ Before something happens and you regret never letting him know.”

Hinata sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

“You _know_ I’m right. Trust me. Naruto won’t make fun of you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Hinata shook her head. She didn’t think he would. She just didn’t know if she was ready to hear his response.

“Anyway, I do need to run something by Tsunade-shishou, so I think it’s time I get going.” Sakura stood up and wiped grass and dirt from the back of her skirt. “Thanks for your help, Hinata. Meet here tomorrow? I’ll be sure to bring lunch.” She winked.

Hinata laughed. “Sure, thanks.” She stood up, too, and watched Sakura leave the training ground before she slowly followed. She wandered into the village proper, and as she turned in the direction of her home, she saw Naruto and Sasuke walking ahead of her. As she watched them, she was taken back to her earlier thought, that she wanted to try to be their friend. But, she couldn’t really be a true friend to Naruto until the awkwardness she felt in herself because of her feelings was settled. Sakura was right.

With that thought in mind, she found herself yelling out Naruto’s name, and then the two boys were turning to look at her. She came up behind them and clasped her hands in front of her to minimize her shaking.

“Good afternoon, Sasuke-san, Naruto-kun,” she said as she bowed.

“Hey, Hinata!” Naruto greeted enthusiastically. Sasuke also offered a quiet “Hello.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could speak to you, Naruto-kun.” 

She watched as Sasuke looked at Naruto and as Naruto’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

A slight blush came to her cheeks. “Ah, I meant in private.”

Naruto hesitated before responding, “Oh. Okay. Um.” The blond’s arm came up to rub at the back of his head. “Uh, Sasuke, I guess we’ll just… meet later?”

Sasuke nodded, and Naruto gestured for Hinata to lead the way. The only place she could think to go was where she just came from, so they walked in awkward silence in that direction.

Hinata tried hard not to fidget as she and Naruto entered the abandoned training ground. This had been a split-second decision, and she felt it was still a good one, but now that they were together – alone – the wind in her sails was dwindling.

“Eh, so what have you been up to lately?” Naruto asked, and she looked up to see a nervous, but genuine, smile on his face.

“Oh, well, I’ve decided not to take the exam. But, um, Sakura-san asked for help training for it,” she said. 

“Sakura-chan asked for help?” Naruto’s eyes were slightly widened.

Hinata smiled shyly and nodded. “Yes. She knows where the charka points are because she’s a medic, but she wants to learn how to block them like we do.”

“Whoa, that’s really cool!” Naruto said, a wide grin on his face. Hinata let out a small breath, relieved now that the tension between them was somewhat lessened. Though, her nerves were still strung tight. Naruto hummed and put his hands behind his head. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

Hinata bit her lip, looking down at the ground. She heard Sakura’s words in her head, about how she already confessed to Sasuke, and she nodded softly to herself as she steeled herself to look him in the eye.

“Naruto-kun,” she started. He tilted his head the slightest bit. She cleared her throat and stood a little straighter. “I have always… admired you, Naruto-kun. When I was younger, and it became apparent that my sister was more skilled than me, and that my father preferred her over me – for many things – I began to lose my way. I felt worthless and unnecessary.

“But then you came along, Naruto-kun, and you showed me that I didn’t have to feel that way – that I shouldn’t base my self-worth on what others thought. You showed me that I could work hard and be better and _love_ myself. And that when I love myself, I can easily find happiness.”

She watched as Naruto’s arms slowly lowered to his sides and his face morphed from curious to serious. She clasped her hands behind her back and lowered her eyes.

“You are so bright and brave, Naruto-kun. I found myself looking for you everywhere, watching you, wanting to walk with you and stand beside you. I don’t know when the intense desire to _be like_ you turned into _love_ , but…” She looked up into his eyes and took a deep breath. “I love you, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto’s eyes widened at her admission – her _confession_ – and Hinata tangled her fingers together tighter as she tried to keep from running away. But she felt kind of relieved. Whatever happened after this, at least she had gotten over this hurdle. Sakura had been right about that, too.

“Oh, um, I, uh,” Naruto stuttered, his eyes darting around the training ground and his face suffused in a blush. “I don’t, uh, really know what… to say, Hinata.”

Hinata felt her chest tighten in disappointment, but then the pressure eased, and she smiled to herself. She hadn’t expected her feelings to be returned, and, surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would.

“I mean, you’re really pretty, Hinata, and strong, but um-”

“Naruto-kun,” she said softly, interrupting him. “I wasn’t expecting anything. I just really wanted you to know. And I guess to see if maybe I could get a hint of how you feel about me, without pressuring you.” She shrugged and smiled at him.

“Hinata,” he said seriously. “I… You…” He groaned in frustration and brought his hands up to rub through his hair. Then he looked at her, his eyes sad. “You are an amazing person, Hinata, and I’m so happy that you’re my friend and that I have you in my life.” Then he shifted slightly and looked down at the ground. “But I don’t think I… have those kinds of feelings… for you. I’m… I’m so sorry, Hinata!” He said, grabbing her arms and bringing her hands between them to grasp tightly. “I’m really sorry!”

Hinata couldn’t help it; she laughed. 

“Um, Hinata?”

Hinata calmed herself down and gazed fondly at him. “Never change, Naruto-kun.” When he only looked at her in confusion, she pulled her hands out of his, only to grasp his hands and squeeze in return. “It’s perfectly fine that you don’t love me back, Naruto-kun. Please don’t be sorry. And I think, with this no longer weighing on me, we can be even better friends!”

Naruto’s confusion was slowly replaced by a shy smile. “Better friends?”

Hinata nodded. “I know how much you cherish and support all of your friends, Naruto-kun, but there are times that I think we don’t cherish and support you to the same extent. I want to change that, at least for myself. I want to be a strength for you. Come to me when you have a problem or if you just want to talk. I’m here for you.”

Naruto blinked at her for a second before he pulled his hands away and slowly wrapped his arms around her. “You’re already a really good friend, Hinata. Thank you,” he whispered. She didn’t know how to describe how he sounded, but it was a little heartbreaking, and tears came to her eyes unbidden. She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged him back.

“Thank you, Naruto-kun.”

They stayed like that for a few more moments, and then they broke apart, each smiling at the other. Naruto offered to walk her home, but Hinata declined and suggested he go find Sasuke. The way Naruto’s eyes lit up at Sasuke’s name gave her momentary pause – did Naruto even realize how much more _alive_ he became when Sasuke was involved? – but she just shrugged to herself and said her goodbyes.

As she walked home, she replayed the whole discussion in her mind, and when she dropped her sandals in the genkan and shut herself in her room, she dropped to her bed and cried. Not in sadness, though, not really – just that her first love was ending. But that just meant there was now room for a new love to begin.

~*~

Naruto had planned to go find Sasuke, but as he watched Hinata walk away, his smile was replaced with a frown.

That was the third time a girl had told him she loved him – if he didn’t count Hinata’s first confession when they were facing Pain – and he had to wonder what was wrong with him that he didn’t return their feelings. 

Well, maybe the first didn’t count because it was his _mom_ , and he did return those feelings. Very much so.

And, well, the second probably didn’t count, either, because Sakura hadn’t actually been telling the truth. She had only been trying to stop him from chasing after Sasuke anymore.

Okay, so maybe Hinata was the first girl interested in him _romantically_ , but the question was still valid: why couldn’t he return her feelings? Finding a nice girl and settling down had been one of the hopes his mother had for him, and Hinata was extremely pretty and strong – and stubborn, if he thought about it, as she’d directly disobeyed his request for everyone to stay out of his fight with Pain, but he was totally getting off track – but… he just didn’t see her like that.

Or maybe he just… needed to give her a chance? Like, really get to know her. Maybe he’d come to love her if he tried. It seemed to be what was expected of him.

‘That Uchiha is right about you – you’re a complete moron, brat.’

Naruto blinked. ‘Kurama?’ He closed his eyes and entered his psyche, where Kurama was laid out on his stomach, his head resting on his crossed front paws and his tails lazily whipping behind him. “Who are you calling a moron? What the hell are you doing awake?” he asked with an angry frown (definitely not a pout).

“Well, since I was merged with my other half, I’m not at zero like I was during your fight with the Uchiha brat.” Kurama cracked an eye open and grinned evilly at Naruto. “And I’m calling _you_ a moron, moron.”

“Tch.” Naruto crossed his arms and looked away from Kurama. “Did you have a reason for bothering me?”

“Keh,” Kurama replied as he closed his eye. “I don’t know much about your mating rituals, but I thought I could help you out with your dilemma.”

Naruto scrunched his face in confusion. “Huh?”

“Tch.” Kurama let out a breath. “Weren’t you just asking yourself why you couldn’t like the Hyuuga girl?”

“I…” Naruto looked down, biting his lip as he considered his answer. “Yeah, I was, but I’ve barely spent any time with her. Maybe I just need to,” he shrugged, “You know, get to know her.”

“If that’s what you want to do,” Kurama said around a yawn.

Naruto tightened his crossed arms defensively and glared at his bijuu. “Why? What were you thinking?”

Kurama said nothing, though his tails continued to whip lazily behind him. But then one swept forward between himself and the fox, and when it receded, a large box sat in the space between them. Naruto uncrossed his arms as he bent to inspect the box, his eyes narrowed in speculation. He felt like he should know what this box was…

His eyes widened in sudden realization. He looked up at Kurama, who still ignored him.

The box was… where he’d stashed all those thoughts and feelings about Sasuke – the ones that were different from the usual camaraderie and frustration and rivalry.

Of course, the box wasn’t real, just a manifestation of his desire to not think about things, so as soon as he realized what Kurama was trying to tell him, it disappeared.

Naruto sighed. “You think I don’t return Hinata’s feelings because of Sasuke?”

“I don’t know,” Kurama said. “I told you I don’t know anything about your mating rituals. But,” Kurama cracked his eye open again and gazed at Naruto. “Those things she was saying – about how she watched you and wanted to help you… It just sounded strangely like those things you mumbled to yourself about the Uchiha brat right before you dropped us in the middle of a war.”

Naruto blinked and tilted his head to the side. Had he said something like that?

“Anyway, do yourself a favor and sort these things out now. The Uchiha isn’t going anywhere, so you should know how to handle him from now on.”

“How to handle Sasuke,” he mumbled to himself. With another sigh, he retreated from his psyche and moved from the middle of the training ground to a tree on the edge, sitting down and leaning against the rough bark. He crossed his legs and stilled himself, meditating as he’d been taught, though he refrained from drawing in nature energy.

All right, if he was going to do this, he was going to do it right. And to do it right, he supposed he had to start at the beginning…

Even before the rivalry in Team 7 and before Sasuke had risked his life to save him in Wave, Naruto had felt a connection to Sasuke. And yeah, maybe part of it had been because of the reincarnated souls of Super Gramps’ sons, but beyond all that, Naruto and Sasuke had a visceral connection – so lonely it hurt and craving just the tiniest bit of true affection.

And maybe Sasuke had been right – at the time Naruto didn’t know what it felt like to lose someone. But he definitely knew what it was like to have no one, and that’s what he guessed the foundation of his and Sasuke’s relationship really boiled down to – that unspoken having-no-one-together bond.

And then later, while their rivalry had been going strong, Sasuke’s body had just ‘moved on its own’ or whatever, and Naruto had been so devastated by the thought of losing Sasuke that he’d lost control of Kurama (though he hadn’t known it at the time). Knowing that now, however, he knows what a Big Deal it was. Only to have a repeat performance when Sasuke had been leaving for Orochimaru’s – he’d lost control of Kurama then, too, just at the prospect of Sasuke leaving him.

And he’d been completely demoralized when he’d woken up after their battle. And yeah, maybe some of it had been because he’d broken his promise to Sakura – had failed to bring him back to her – but… he couldn’t lie to himself that her tears were the most devastating result of his failure. No, something inside of him had been lost in that moment of realizing that Sasuke had gone. And he hadn’t made the connection at the time, but – how ironic; Sasuke had yelled at him that he never knew what it was like to lose someone, and then Sasuke himself had gifted him with that experience.

_Bastard._

So… then came those years traveling with Jiraiya.

Jiraiya became family to him, and not a day went by that Naruto hadn’t thought about his friends back in Konoha. But it was no secret, not even to himself, that he’d been driven to train hard and become strong because of Sasuke – not just to bring him home, but to make Sasuke realize that with Naruto at his side, they could accomplish Sasuke’s goals. They could do anything.

They could change the fucking world.

Naruto smiled to himself. The look on Sasuke’s face when he’d said that at lunch… Sure, he was smirking, but there was something about his eyes that wasn’t the usual arrogant or cold light. Naruto couldn’t name it, but it made Sasuke look… soft, pretty.

_Uh… pretty?_

Naruto swallowed. Did he think Sasuke was pretty? His thoughts flew back to this morning, when he’d tackled Sasuke to the ground and been distracted by how the other looked, sweaty and flushed. What had he thought? Oh, yeah… Sasuke had looked fascinating. But now that Sasuke wasn’t right there and Naruto had time to think, “fascinating” might not have been the right word. Thinking back, Sasuke _had_ looked pretty. The heated flush had complemented his skin nicely…

_Whoa._

_Moving on._

Naruto shoved those thoughts to the side for the moment and sorted through the other things he’d shoved into that mental box.

Traveling with Sasuke had been nothing short of awesome. It was just the two of them and the open road. And Sasuke was more open with him, talking to him and sharing his thoughts and feelings a hell of a lot easier than he had when they’d been children. And sharing a tent at night, just the sounds of their breathing and the night, and waking up to find Sasuke curled into his side…

_Uh…_

_Moving on. Again._

Naruto shoved those thoughts aside, too.

Well, then, what about how he felt when it looked like Sasuke might have to take a wife? Those had been some intense feelings there. More specifically, when Sakura had said she was in favor of what the Elders had planned just so she could be his wife. Yeah, there had been anger at her for even considering making Sasuke go through that, but there had been other feelings, too.

Jealously was one, Naruto was man enough to admit. He knew that he and Sasuke shared a bond that few could match and none could break, but he also knew that, should Sasuke – or himself – start a _romantic_ relationship with someone else, it would seriously cut into their friendship time.

(Or… would significant others even factor in? He could easily see both of them sparring for hours each day, like they had this morning, even if they had families waiting at home. That… didn’t seem healthy for anyone.)

But for the same reason, buried under the jealousy, there was fear – fear for the day that Sasuke would once again go down a path that Naruto couldn’t follow. There would be no chasing and bringing Sasuke back from a committed relationship.

Naruto found himself getting a little angry at the thought, maybe more apprehensive, and he took several deep breaths to calm himself. Seriously, the happy path seemed to be just him and Sasuke, side by side, until the end of their days.

He paused.

_What?_

Did he really think him and Sasuke in a relationship would be a good idea? He shook his head harshly.

That was stupid. Him and Sasuke in a relationship was completely out of the question. 

Spending a bunch of time together? Yeah, right. (Wait, they already did that.)

Eating meals together? Please. (Oh, that, too.)

Talking about their feelings? Forget it! (Well, they’d kinda started that…)

Being intimate? Hell no. 

Naruto nodded his head. See? Wouldn’t work.

Except… it was only once… and it was just this morning… but… hadn’t he looked at Sasuke differently, just a little bit? He’d even been embarrassed by looking at Sasuke’s half-naked body. Gods, had he blushed?!

Was he blushing now?! Was his heart racing just thinking about it?!

_Oh, gods…_

Naruto opened his eyes and blinked at the wide expanse of the training grounds. He took several deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He didn’t know if he’d had an epiphany or anything like that, but he might have an inkling of one.

“Kurama,” he said quietly. “I think… I like Sasuke.”

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was Kurama! LOL The answer to the question on who realizes first... *whispers* it's Kurama. Surprise! ^_^
> 
> And FINALLY, right?! Naruto's getting there, guys. Hope it was believable. And yeah, there's this episode where Naruto and Bee are on the way to the battle, and he starts thinking to himself about how he was always watching Sasuke and stuff, and I was like, dude, that sounds like how Hinata talks about Naruto...
> 
> Anyway, now, we just need to get Sasuke on the same page... And, man, you guys really kind of hate the Elders. I'm sorry! But I can't just kill them. LOL
> 
> I hope you continue to enjoy, and I look forward to your comments!


	11. Chapter 11

“Hinata-sama,” someone called quietly, and Hinata lifted her head slightly, still groggy from the fitful sleep she’d fallen into when her tears had stopped. She looked around, and the fading light of evening filtered into her room. “Hinata-sama,” the call came again.

She whipped her head around, quickly sitting up and wiping the sleeve of her overshirt across her face. “Oh, yes! Come in,” she said, sitting up completely with her feet on the floor. The door to her room slid open, and a servant bowed from her position on the floor.

“Nara-san is here to see your father, but he asked to speak with you first.”

Curious, Hinata stood up and patted down her hair and clothes as she moved toward the door. The servant stood quickly and backed away from the door, allowing Hinata to slip out and proceed to the genkan. Shikamaru stood with his arms crossed, his head bent down as he stared at the floor.

“Hello, Shikamaru-san,” Hinata said bowing.

“Hi, Hinata,” he returned. “Is there somewhere we could talk in private?”

Frowning slightly, Hinata asked him to follow her, and she led him to their training room – no one would be using it at this time. She slid the door open and gestured him inside, following silently behind him but leaving the door open to better tell if someone was coming. As she sat down before him and folded her hands in her lap, she cocked her head to the side and asked, “How can I help you, Shikamaru-san?”

Shikamaru had one knee up, his other leg folded underneath him, and his arm sat atop his knee, the thumb of that hand rubbing back and forth along his bottom lip. At her question, he looked up and stared at her a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly as he considered something, and then he said, “The Elders and Danzo had Uchiha Itachi kill his clan.”

It took a second for the words to registered, and when they did, Hinata could only utter a stuttered, “Excuse me?”

Shikamaru grunted a muffled apology. “Thought it would be best just to get it all out there quickly.” He shifted slightly. “When Ino went into Uchiha-san’s mind, she found that out and asked Uchiha-san for more information. Apparently, the Uchiha clan was planning a coup against the Sandaime, so before they could attack, the Elders and Danzo blackmailed Itachi into killing everyone, allowing Sasuke to stay alive.”

Hinata’s hand came up to her mouth to muffle her startled gasp.

Shikamaru continued, “Sasuke and the rest of the village were allowed to believe Itachi was the culprit, which I guess is why Sasuke left to join Orochimaru – a means to an end. But according to Uchiha-san, after Sasuke killed Itachi, Obito told him the truth-”

“Which is why he killed Danzo,” Hinata finished quietly. She’d always known that Sasuke had reasons for what he’d done, but this? This was too horrible. “Why are you telling this to me?” she asked.

Shikamaru sighed. “Honestly? I’m trying to keep the peace.” When she only looked at him in confusion, he asked, “You remember what Uchiha-san said to the Elders, right? During the clan head meeting about Sasuke’s arranged marriage?”

Hinata racked her mind, thinking back to it.

 _[“And to you, honorable elders, I am at a loss for words at the care and consideration you have shown my clansmen while I have been away, and I just want you two to know that I, as Uchiha clan head and bound to repay all debts, am ready, willing, and able…_ to return the favor _.”]_

Her eyes widened. “You don’t think Fumiko-san would do something, do you?”

Shikamaru shrugged. “I don’t really know her, but I honestly just think she was trying to scare them. My concern is how the Elders will react to it. Sasuke’s not a twelve-year-old genin anymore. He’s got god-like powers now, and I’d really like to avoid his retaliation if the Elders target him or Uchiha-san.”

Hinata could only agree. “But still, why tell me?”

“I intend to expose the Elders’ crimes and execute sufficient punishment, but I need all the clans behind me. I’ve already got Ino, and the Aburame, Akimichi, and Inuzuka clans will be easy enough. I’m also confident Uchiha-san will get behind this. But the other clans look to the Hyuuga to lead, so I’m starting there. And I need you on my side to help me convince your father.”

“Of course!” she said with much more conviction than she felt. Not that she didn’t think that something needed to be done to protect Fumiko and Sasuke from anymore of the Elders’ interference, but she wasn’t quite sure how she could help convince her father. Though their relationship was much better than it had been even a year ago, she still didn’t have very much sway.

Shikamaru nodded, though he stared at her for a moment before saying, “I can see it, Hinata. You want to help, but you don’t know if you’ll be able to. But I’m perfectly confident in your abilities.” He paused, frowning for a second. “But I must warn you that I may have to say things that will embarrass or hurt you, or you may hear the same from your father. But please bear with it.”

Hinata’s lips thinned as she clenched her fists over her thighs. She was no stranger to being hurt by her father’s words, but following Naruto and bonding with Neji, Kiba, and Shino had allowed her to become strong enough to endure. She gave Shikamaru a sharp nod.

Without saying anything else, Hinata stood, waiting for Shikamaru to follow, and then led him back into the main house, lightly treading along the corridors to her father’s receiving room. A servant sat just outside the shoji doors, bowing over her thighs at Hinata’s approach before turning to slide the door open.

“Hinata-sama and Nara-san,” she announced quietly, backing up to allow them to pass through. As they entered, Hinata glanced at her father sitting quietly at the low table, but she was surprised to find Hanabi sitting next to him.

“Welcome, Nara-san,” Hiashi murmured as he bowed slightly, Hanabi bowing silently next to him. Hinata and Shikamaru sat across from them, returning the bow. “To what do I owe this visit? Does Rokudaime have some request of the Hyuuga clan?”

Shikamaru cleared his throat as Hinata poured him a cup of tea. “No, Hyuuga-san, I’m here on clan business, though Rokudaime is aware of what I’m doing.”

Hinata watched her father’s face from under her lashes as she filled her own cup of tea and noticed a small flash of surprise light his features. She set the pot down and folded her hands around her cup, letting the warmth soak into her hands as she waited for whatever Shikamaru was going to say.

“And what business might that be?”

“You are aware that both I and Ino were against the Elders’ suggestion to arrange a marriage for Uchiha, but we were manipulated into accepting it, as were, I believe, most of the clan heads.”

Hiashi didn’t even flinch. “Marriages, arranged or otherwise, are, for the most part, beneficial for all parties involved. I’m sure you are aware of how your relationship with Temari of Suna is viewed. Many clans envy the strong and close ties you are making with the Kazekage’s family, for the further strength and stability it will bring Konoha.”

Hinata chanced a glance at Shikamaru, but he had his usual bored expression on his face. He shrugged before saying, “I’m sure they envy the Hyuuga clan more, with all the rumors of a pending union between your daughter and the future Hokage.” 

Hinata barely suppressed a flinch at the statement, but she was sure her face was red from the slight smile Hanabi was trying to hide behind her tea cup.

“And by ‘your daughter,’ I of course mean Hanabi,” Shikamaru continued. Hinata couldn’t hide her shock at that, and neither could Hanabi – as evidenced by the fallen tea cup on the table. Hiashi only frowned.

“I’m not sure-”

“Now, I understand that wasn’t always the plan,” Shikamaru cut him off. “The Hyuuga clan elders used to talk about Hinata marrying Naruto, and you were never against it. Whether it was because it was a good idea to tie the highest regarded clan to the highest shinobi position or because you realized that Hinata was in love with him doesn’t matter; you were all for it.”

Hinata could feel her cheeks burning, but she refused to lower her head.

“But suddenly, talk shifts to Hanabi marrying Naruto and Hinata marrying into the most questionable clan in Konoha – the Uchiha. And I have to wonder, who actually made that decision?” Shikamaru raised a brow in question and lifted his tea to his lips as he waited for her father’s answer.

After a moment, Hiashi said, “As I have already explained to you and the Hokage, while it may have been suggested by the Elders, the ultimate decision lay with each clan. There was no fault in their logic in trying to ensure the last of the Uchiha clan remained loyal to Konoha.”

“And yet, it’s the Elders’ fault there aren’t more Uchiha around to be loyal to Konoha without forcing people to marry.”

Hinata focused on her breathing as she watched confusion come over both Hiashi and Hanabi’s faces.

“What do you mean by that?” Hiashi asked.

“Danzo and the Elders forced Uchiha Itachi to destroy the Uchiha clan. They used Sasuke against him – carry out their orders, and he could spare Sasuke. Otherwise, they would all die. So Itachi decided to save Sasuke and executed the Elders’ orders. Sandaime was aware of everything.”

Hinata watched carefully as her family took in the information. Hanabi’s eyes were wide and fearful, still too young to completely shield her emotions like generations of Hyuuga clan heads. Her father, to her surprise, wasn’t hiding his shock too well either.

“Why would you say such things?” Hiashi demanded.

Shikamaru’s eyes narrowed the slightest bit. “This information was pulled from Uchiha-san’s head when Ino scanned her mind. And then it was confirmed by Rokudaime, who knows the details.”

Hiashi glanced down at the table for a while. “What would cause them to order such a thing?”

Shikamaru clicked his tongue quietly. “The Uchiha had felt ostracized and belittled by the village ever since Nidaime’s reign. I suppose it got worse after the Kyuubi attack, when everyone whispered about the Uchiha being able to command it with the Sharingan. And so, the Uchiha – failing negotiations with Sandaime – began to plan a coup.”

Hiashi glared at that. “So, it wasn’t an undeserved order.”

Hinata’s eyes widened at that. Before she could even think to decry such a statement, Shikamaru asked quietly, “You believe that the elderly and the children that Itachi was ordered to slaughter in their homes – in their _beds_ – deserved it?”

“Sacrifices must be made for the stability of the village,” Hiashi said stiffly, and Hinata was sure he was thinking about her kidnapping all those years ago and how his brother had sacrificed himself to pay Kumo’s demands for revenge. Shikamaru looked at a loss, not having expected such a callous answer, even from her father.

Hinata clenched her fists in her lap and sat up straighter. “I suppose you are comparing the Uchiha massacre to Hizashi-ji-san’s sacrifice, Father; there are similarities, to be sure – the desire to prevent enemy villages from waging war against us. But Father,” she said quietly, “You must see what Shikamaru-san is saying – he wants to prevent the Elders from making such decisions on their own and killing innocent people to save face. And the only way to do that is to uncover their duplicity and removing their influence within Konoha.”

“That’s nonsense, Hinata.”

“It’s not!” she said loudly, momentarily surprised by her own actions. But she said she’d support Shikamaru, and she never went back on her word.

“Hyuuga-san,” Shikamaru said leaning forward against the table, “I’ve already told you that Rokudaime is aware of this. But what I didn’t tell you is that Naruto is also aware. And after everything the Elders did to him and to Uchiha – everything they’re _still_ trying to do to Uchiha – he will not stand idly by when he’s in charge.”

Hinata could see the pause that information gave her father. If there was anything that the five great nations learned from the war, it was that whatever Naruto put his mind to, it got done. Hiashi might throw his weight around with Kakashi, but it would have no sway with Naruto. And he knew that.

“Father,” Hinata called quietly, gaining his attention. “What’s stopping the Elders from coming after us?” His brow furrowed in confusion, so she continued, “The world is still in chaos right now from the aftermath of the war. And the internal strife of the Hyuuga clan is still present with your inaction on the matter of the seal on the branch family. What’s keeping the Elders from secretly ordering our destruction so that our internal affairs don’t cause instability in the village that will invite enemy attacks like they did with the Uchiha?”

“They would never-”

“They did once, Hyuuga-san,” Shikamaru pointed out. “And I can assure you that I will get enough backing to proceed without you. The Yamanaka clan is already with me. It’s only a matter of time before I convince the Aburame, Inuzuka, and Akimichi clans. I am guaranteed Naruto’s support, and probably the Uchiha, too. And I already have Rokudaime’s support, and I’m sure Godaime will be game. But here’s something to consider – how long until Naruto tells all his friends what we plan to do? You know – the Kazekage and the Kumo Jinchūriki, to name a couple.” Shikamaru shrugged. “But I thought I’d give the Hyuuga the first chance to help me lead the charge for justice.”

Hiashi was quiet, and Shikamaru nodded. “I’ll give you some time to consider. I’m about to be busy with the Jounin Exam. But you can let me know your decision through Hinata.” He stood up. “I’ll let myself out. Thank you for your time.” He bowed shallowly and left.

Hinata watched him leave and then turned her attention back to her father. When several minutes had passed without comment from him or Hanabi, Hinata stood to excuse herself.

“Are you really in love with Naruto-kun?” Hanabi asked as she reached to slide the door open. Hinata froze, her recent confession and rejection passing momentarily through her mind. She looked over her shoulder.

“Yes.”

Hanabi and her father stared at her. Hanabi continued, “Then why were you going to marry Uchiha?”

Hinata pressed her lips together briefly. “If that was the only way I could be useful to the clan, I felt that I should.” She paused. “But that was a momentary lapse in judgment. I’ve remembered myself and my nindo, and I will stand behind those that will make this whole _village_ stronger and not just my clan.”

With that, she bowed and left the receiving room, hoping that her father came around so that she wouldn’t have to suffer the pain of choosing between her village and her clan. 

And she suddenly thought that maybe she knew exactly what Itachi had felt all those years ago.

~*~

Naruto stood nervously before Kakashi’s door, wondering if Sasuke was inside. It wasn’t like he was actively seeking his friend out after such a startling semi-revelation about said friend, but after sitting on the training grounds by himself – because Kurama refused to talk to him about “human mating rituals” – until the sun began to set, he didn’t really know where else to go. He didn’t want to be at home alone with his thoughts, and he didn’t want to be with friends who might pry, though with the best of intentions, so here he was.

Except he was extremely nervous.

“Are you going to lurk all evening?” someone said behind him, and he whirled around to see Fumiko standing behind him, hands on her hips as she smirked at him.

“Uh, no, sorry,” he said, his hand rubbing the hairs at the nape of his neck. 

Fumiko chuckled and nodded her head at the door. “Go on in, Naruto-kun. I’d welcome your company.”

Naruto opened his mouth to agree, but then Fumiko _poofed_ out of existence, and Naruto blushed slightly and laughed to realize it had been a clone. Turning back to the door, he opened it and stepped inside. He walked into the living room and found Fumiko stretched out on one of the couches, dressed in cut-off sweats and a tank top, a copy of a very familiar orange book in her hands.

“What are you reading?” he asked more in shock than curiosity, for he’d grown far too familiar with that book even before meeting Jiraiya.

“I’ve had quite a number of people tell me what a pervert Hokage-sama is, and I was a little curious as to how filthy these books are,” she said as she turned a page. She shrugged as she continued, “The prose is a little flowery and somewhat risqué, but it’s not overly graphic.”

Naruto’s mouth hung open in shock. “Then you must be made of something stronger than others,” he said with a laugh, remembering the blushes of many a person – Kakashi included – regarding Jiraiya’s books.

Fumiko shrugged again. “Modesty is not part of the bushido.”

“‘Bushido?’” Naruto asked as he moved further into the room and sat on the other couch across from Fumiko.

“The way of the samurai, extolling the virtues of righteousness, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, duty, and self-control and the values of wisdom, fraternity, and filial piety.” Her lips thinned as she continued to read. “I guess I don’t exactly hold up on that last one,” she said quietly. Letting out a sigh, she closed the book and set it by her side, looking at Naruto with a crooked smile. “What can I do for you, Naruto-kun?”

He shrugged as he brought his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. “Have you seen Sasuke?” he asked.

Fumiko shook her head. “No. I haven’t seen him since I left you two earlier today.” She cocked her head to the side. “But he should be here soon for dinner. Would you like to join us?”

Naruto smiled as he looked up at her. “Sure, thanks.” He saw as her returned smiled dipped down into a frown.

“Is something bothering you, Naruto-kun?”

“No!” _Yes._

Fumiko turned her face away from him, but not before Naruto caught the look she had – the same as Sasuke’s face when it was obvious he didn’t believe what Naruto had said. “I’m going to start dinner. Care to join me in the kitchen?” she asked as she stood and moved in that direction.

“Sure,” Naruto said quietly as he stood, wiping his hands on his pants. He followed her into the kitchen and sat at one of the stools by the large island as she moved to the refrigerator to pull out ingredients. She hummed lightly as she moved here and there, getting dishes out, chopping vegetables, and doing various other tasks as Naruto chewed on his lip in thought.

Even though Fumiko may have gone through some not nice things, she was a girl and might know how to help Naruto through his recent… feelings about a certain… person. Clenching his fists, Naruto sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat quietly. “Fumiko-chan, have you ever liked someone?”

He watched as she froze, shoulders tense, before she set down the knife she was using to chop vegetables and turned around to face him, her face calm. “Is that what’s bothering you, Naruto-kun? Do you like someone?” she asked quietly, encouragingly.

“Eh? Um, I’m… not sure?” he said, his face scrunching up in thought. “I mean, uh, Hinata-chan, um, kinda confessed to me earlier, and I… I don’t really feel the same. So, when I wondered why I didn’t, you know, like her back… Kurama kind of thought maybe it’s because I like someone else.”

He heard Kurama grunt something unintelligible and worked to keep his face from scrunching up in annoyance.

“So, Hinata-san confessed, and you let her down easy, huh?” Fumiko smiled a little sadly. Naruto nodded. “And you and Kurama think it might be because you like someone else, but you’re not sure?”

Naruto nodded again. “Yeah. So, I was wondering if you’ve ever liked someone. Like, how did you know?”

Fumiko smiled. “I did like someone when I was younger, even before I became a genin. How did I know?” She tipped her head back in thought as she crossed her arms in front of her. “Hm, I guess, at first, I realized that I was looking for him every day. And when I realized that I was actively searching him out, I couldn’t stop myself from getting flustered anytime he was nearby. My face would flush, and my heart would race, and I found myself wondering what he thought of me.” She laughed wistfully. 

Uh oh, Naruto thought. A lot of that sounded suspiciously like how he was with Sasuke.

“Did you ever, um, tell him you liked him?” Naruto asked and frowned when Fumiko shook her head. “So, you grew out it?”

Fumiko sighed. She was quiet for a long time, so long that Naruto almost retracted the question, but then she moved forward to lean on the other side of the island toward Naruto. “Actually, Naruto-kun, to be completely honest, I fell in love with him.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. Fumiko looked so sad as she admitted it. “How did you know it was love?” he asked quietly, curious despite himself.

She laughed slightly. “I guess it was just a strengthening of those earlier feelings – searching him out, wanting to see him, those things. But then, as time passed, deeper feelings surfaced. I worried for him, wanted to comfort him and try to support him and make him happy. When he was happy, I was happy; when he hurt, I hurt.”

Naruto felt like he’d been slapped. Those were the exact words he’d told Sasuke a year ago – when Sasuke hurt, he hurt. And, yeah, he’d do anything to take that hurt away for Sasuke. “And did you ever tell him that you loved him?” 

Fumiko raised a wry eyebrow in answer, but she answered, “No, Naruto-kun. I never told him.”

“Why? Because it would ruin your friendship?” He immediately regretted saying those words, and he pressed his lips together.

But either Fumiko missed it or didn’t want to chase after it, and she shrugged as she said, “We weren’t friends, Naruto-kun. I can count how many times we actually spoke to each other with my fingers and have some left over. Why didn’t I tell him, you ask? Why burden him with my feelings? It was obvious that he didn’t feel that way about me, about anyone really, and honestly… he was way out of my league.”

So, Fumiko’s case wasn’t like his, then. If she had said anything to her guy, there was no friendship that would have been ruined or anything. Then again, he didn’t think he was in love with Sasuke, so maybe that wasn’t a concern?

“Did that help, Naruto-kun?” Fumiko asked. “Do you think you like someone?”

Focusing back on her, Naruto blushed. “I think I do, actually.” He could see the keen light of interest in her eyes, and to ward off the imminent question, he blurted, “So, are you still in love with him?” Fumiko froze again, and Naruto watched in awe as a pink blush spread over her pale features. “You do!” he whispered. Getting excited, he asked rapid fire, “Who is it? Do I know him? Is he from Konoha? Who is it?” He paused then frowned, suddenly remembering his talk with Sasuke earlier at lunch, and he gazed at her sadly.

“What’s with the look, Naruto-kun?”

“Oh, um,” he stuttered, wondering if it was wise to bring it up. “Well, Sasuke and I noticed how… how you, um, well, how Kakashi-sensei was guarding you earlier – kinda making sure that no one, well, no _guy_ touched you, and we just thought… there was a reason?” He watched as her eyes widened in shock.

“Hokage-sama did?” she whispered. She pulled away from the island and leaned back against the counter. “He must know,” she said quietly.

“Know what?” Naruto asked before he could stop himself. Fumiko didn’t answer, and despite overstepping his bounds, he followed with, “Is it about your time in Iwa?” She looked at him sharply, and he hunched his shoulders. “I’m sorry. Sasuke and I noticed how you shied away from Bushier-Brow-sensei and came to the conclusion that… well, maybe something worse than normal happened to you.”

She let out a humorless laugh. “I guess you could say that. It’s okay, Naruto-kun, if you want to ask questions. I don’t like talking about it, but it doesn’t mean I can’t. You’re wondering how I can still love him when I’ve been assaulted and can’t really be touched by men, right?”

Naruto nodded, trying not to flinch. It had just really hit him; if she was so shy of men, even innocent touches like a handshake, could she really still be in love with someone?

“You’re a sweet boy, Naruto-kun,” she started. “Yes, it’s true. During my time in Iwa, they raped me many times. But it would be a lie to say it made me afraid of all men. Certainly, just after I escaped, I hated anyone touching me, especially men. But as time went by, I became more stable. I knew who I could trust not to hurt me, who meant me no harm with their touch, and I can tolerate that. It’s really just strangers and those whose intentions aren’t clear that… give me a little trouble.”

“So, earlier with Bushier-Brow-sensei – you don’t trust him?” he asked.

“Oh.” Fumiko frowned. “No, that wasn’t why I stepped away from him. I just… I don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea,” she said cryptically, and Naruto would have asked what she meant, but he felt maybe he’d already asked too much as it was.

“Okay. Thanks for telling me, Fumiko-chan.” She smiled at him and slowly stepped forward and leaned against the island again. Naruto regarded her for a moment before he said, “So, you’re still in love with this guy because he’s someone you trust not to hurt you.” The blush returned to her cheeks. “Who is it?” he whispered. When Fumiko blushed harder, he leaned forward, nearly brushing foreheads with her. “I can keep a secret, I swear!”

She laughed as she looked down at the countertop. Then she looked up, spearing him in place with her eyes. “All right, Naruto-kun. I’ll make a deal with you: I’ll tell you who I keep in my heart. In return, you’ll tell me as soon as you know for sure that you’ve got a crush on someone and who it is. Deal?”

Naruto would have eagerly accepted such a deal if the random thought that Fumiko might hate him if he said he liked another guy, and her nephew on top of it, hadn’t suddenly popped up in his head.

He swallowed nervously. “What if… what if I do like that person, but it’s someone I shouldn’t?”

Fumiko frowned before standing up straight and reaching for both of his hands. She squeezed them and gave him a hard look as she said, “There is no such person, Naruto-kun. Who you like is who you like; there’s nothing wrong with that even if it’s, maybe, someone that society might not particularly understand. And maybe people won’t like it or might look at you differently than before. But it’s _never_ wrong to be in… like.” She finished with a laugh and a smile, and Naruto couldn’t help but join her. 

“And I’ll tell you this, Naruto-kun,” she continued. “No matter who it is, I will always be on your side.”

“Thank you, Fumiko-chan,” he said shyly, squeezing her hands and looking down at the countertop. Then he lifted his head and said, “Okay, you’ve got a deal. Who do you like?”

They heard the front door open and Kakashi call out cheerfully that he and Sasuke had returned to protect the fair princess. And as Naruto turned his head in that direction, Fumiko reached out and placed her right hand on his cheek, forcing his face back around gently as she leaned in close, her cheek brushing his other cheek as her lips neared his ear.

“My heart has always belonged to Hatake Kakashi,” she whispered so very low in his ear.

And that was how Kakashi and Sasuke found them as they walked into the kitchen, pausing and eyeing the somewhat intimate position they were in. Without regard to what they must be thinking, Fumiko patted his cheek gently, pulling away and smiling at him sadly before turning back to her vegetables and greeting the two still standing in the doorway.

Naruto, for his part, was stuck halfway between being embarrassed at being caught like that and floored at the information she had revealed. His wide eyes slowly lifted to stare at her back before slowly turning to gaze at Kakashi.

As soon as their eyes met, Kakashi smiled, his eyes closing in mirth, as he said, “Maa, Naruto, look at you fulfilling every guy’s fantasy by getting his first kiss from an older woman.”

Fumiko snorted loudly over her vegetables, the knife making an ominous sound against the cutting board, while Naruto’s eyes widened even further. It was on the tip of his tongue to respond that he’d already had his first kiss, but since it had been with Sasuke (kinda) – who was starting to smirk because he just _knew_ where Naruto’s mind would automatically go, the bastard – Naruto just scowled and muttered obscenities under his breath.

Kakashi and Sasuke moved further into the kitchen, joining Naruto at the island, and began talking about how Sasuke had stopped into the Hokage’s office to talk about becoming a jounin and had immediately been sent off with Iruka to start his studies.

“Because he’s a year behind Naruto in his jounin studies,” Kakashi said, earning a scowl from Sasuke and a laugh from Fumiko. Naruto joined in from time to time with a comment, but his mind was focused on watching Fumiko and how she interacted with Kakashi. After everything she’d said about her feelings and all her sad smiles, Naruto could only conclude that it was a sad and painful love she carried with her.

And Naruto could only hope he didn’t end up in the same situation.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, sadly, I didn't get to write anything for Naruto's birthday. But I hope I made up for it with some more Naruto POV dealing with his feelings. And I'll admit I'm super curious as to your reactions to his and Fumiko's conversation.
> 
> Anyway, so now I think I have everything properly set up to move the story along to the Jounin Exam, so there may be a timeskip coming up, and we can get to the good stuff! Good stuff being the intrigue and action. The extra good stuff... uh, that's still gonna take a little time. Heh. >_>
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Timeskips :)

“Your guests have arrived and are waiting for you in your reception room, Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t remove his eyes from the book he was reading, reclined on his bed with one arm behind his head. His ANBU stayed kneeling in his room, waiting for Kakashi’s command to leave, which he gave with the slight raising of his brow.

His ANBU disappeared, and he sighed as he finished the sentence he’d been reading and closed the book. He sat up and stared at the cover for a second. It was Jiraiya’s first novel – _Tales of a Gutsy Ninja_. He’d thought Jiraiya incredibly naïve when he’d first read it; but knowing that it had in some way influenced Nagato into bringing back to life those he’d killed – Kakashi included – made him rethink its worth. And so he busted it out every now and again, thinking about all he’d lost and all he’d gained over his life.

But setting those thoughts aside, he had other things to do, such as go meet his guests. First, though, he was going to swing by the new Uchiha residence and grab Fumiko. He smiled to himself at the potential chaos he was about to unleash.

He left the Hokage residence from the window and leapt to the roof, leisurely walking over the shingles and hopping to the next roof, his hands in his pockets. Fumiko had made good on her promise to relocate and get out of Kakashi’s hair – not that she or Sasuke had been – but they hadn’t gone very far. She’d rented a large, two-room apartment in one of the newer and higher-end buildings close to the village center where the Academy and administration buildings were. 

Landing on the building’s roof, Kakashi strolled down the side of it and to Fumiko’s living room window, finding it open to let in the breeze. And roaming Hokage, obviously, as he ducked inside and sat on the sill, looking around the living room. It was sparsely furnished and spotless, as was the kitchen and small dining area to the left.

“Hello, Hokage-sama,” came a voice to his right, and he swiveled his head to see Fumiko strolling casually from the hallway to the kitchen in a pair of dark blue shorts and a white tee, her long hair in a high tail.

“Hello, Uchiha-san. How are you today?” He was slightly impressed that she hadn’t reacted to his sudden presence. He was an ace at chakra suppression, after all; but she _was_ an Uchiha.

“I’m surprisingly anxious. I felt several very strong people enter the village today, and I’m just waiting to find out what’s happening,” she said as she came to stand in front of him with a glass of water. “Please, come in.”

“That would be the other kage,” he said as he stood from his seat on the sill and walked a few steps into the apartment. “They’re here for the Jounin Exam.”

Fumiko raised a brow in question as she sipped her water. As she lowered the glass, she said, “So, I’ve restrained my curiosity over the concept of a Jounin Exam – you know, having never heard of such a thing – but now I believe I need some more information.” She turned and sat cross-legged on the small couch by the window.

“Well,” Kakashi said as he shoved his hands in his pockets again. “We thought it was a good idea to boost morale after the war. A sporting event, a good-natured exposition of some of our shinobi skills – no showing off our strength to other villages like the traditional Chuunin Exam. Just something fun, and some chuunin will be promoted in the end. And the profits from the ticket sales go back into rebuilding the village.”

“And the other kage?”

Kakashi let out a huff of breath and a laugh. “Well, Naruto went and invited the Kazekage without consulting anyone, so we had to invite the others to avoid offending someone.” He shrugged. The alliance may still be on, but politics were still politics.

Fumiko drank from her glass again. “So, what are you doing here?”

“Well,” Kakashi drawled, pushing up on the balls of his feet and then back down again, “I thought, to avoid a scene later, I’d take you to introduce the Uchiha clan head to the kage now.”

He almost laughed at the look of shock and dread that fell over Fumiko’s face momentarily, before she could hide it under the Uchiha mask of cool. “You think they’ll react that badly?”

“Heh,” Kakashi laughed. “Well, let’s just say that, despite Sasuke’s, uh, assistance during the war, the kage don’t have a very high opinion of him or, you know, any of his family.”

Fumiko snorted at that as she stared ahead of her at the wall, lost in thought, Kakashi assumed. “Fine,” she said eventually. “But, for the record, I don’t like this idea, and I won’t be blamed for anything that may happen. Let me just change.” She stood from the couch and placed her glass on a side table.

“I think what you’re wearing is fine,” he said. “This is just an informal gathering. Plus,” he paused, his smile growing behind his mask.

She paused in her steps and looked at him. “You’re already late to meet them, aren’t you?” she asked blandly.

“You know me so well,” he said as he laughed, and she sighed as she smoothed her hands down her front, her brow crinkled in thought.

“Still,” she said with a small sniff. “You’re already late; being a little later isn’t a big deal. Please excuse me for a moment, Hokage-sama.”

Chuckling, Kakashi nodded and watched as she disappeared down the hallway. He turned his attention to looking about the apartment again, his thoughts on Fumiko and her appearance after all these years. She was an enigma – and Kakashi would know, as he’d had years of practice being one himself. She was demure yet standoffish, skittish and yet friendly. She would sometimes easily slip into her childhood years of being a part of Konoha, and other times she would silently remind them all that she was more samurai than shinobi now. And despite the trouble she’d brought him by coming back – his idea, he’d own – she amused him to a great degree.

He would also admit that Fumiko provided something to Naruto and Sasuke that the two boys had been missing for most of their lives, though only they could accurately describe what that something might be.

Maybe ten minutes had passed, and Fumiko rejoined him, her hair pinned up in a bun and her shorts and shirt replaced by a yukata in a pastel yellow with a white obi. He grinned at her behind his mask. “Not that I’m an expert, but I always thought it took a long time to get into those.”

Fumiko laughed as she made her way to the door. “When you’re surrounded by young boys, you learn to dress speedily. Can you get the window, Hokage-sama?”

Knowing what he did, Kakashi didn’t know how she could laugh at something like that, but he didn’t sense that it was forced or that the statement made her in any way uncomfortable. So, he went with the flow as he closed the window. “I imagine that would encourage you to increase your speed.”

He walked across the living room to join her at the door. She opened it and led him out, locking it behind them, and then they made their way down to the street. As they walked, the passersby greeted him with loud calls and quick bows, but the thing that interested him the most were the second glances at Fumiko, who walked calmly and quietly beside him. He didn’t know if they knew who she was, but he was sure they were thinking how few and far between were the times he walked around publicly with a woman.

Shrugging those thoughts aside, Kakashi pulled out his familiar blue book, stifling a laugh when Fumiko clicked her tongue in distaste. “You don’t appreciate fine literature,” he said.

“I only regret what people will think of me as I walk next to you while you read it,” she returned. “As for ‘fine literature,’ I will allow you to believe what you will on the subject.” He slid his eye to her profile, lifting a brow at the very Sasuke-like smirk on her lips. Or maybe it was now more accurate to say that Sasuke had a very Fumiko-like smirk.

“Everyone’s a critic,” he murmured, lips twitching up in a smile when Fumiko laughed quietly.

They continued toward the Tower in silence, but it wasn’t that far away, so they were soon turning into the courtyard and ascending the stairs to his office. What greeted them was the sight of Hiashi waiting patiently outside his office doors, his head down until they were close enough for their soft footfalls to alert him of their presence.

“Hokage-sama,” Hiashi greeted with a bow. Then his eyes slid to Fumiko, who nodded her head in greeting, stiffening slightly next to Kakashi when the same was not returned. When Kakashi lifted a brow in question, Hiashi mumbled, “Hello, Uchiha-san.” He looked over at Kakashi. “Might I have a moment of your time, Hokage-sama?”

Kakashi was going to decline, but Shikamaru strolling up behind him stayed his response. “Hokage-sama is already late for a meeting with the other kage, Hyuuga-san.”

“This will only take a moment, Nara-san. And after what you told me, I feel it would be in your best interest to not delay me.”

Kakashi looked between the two, knowing exactly what the exchange was about, but wanting to see how it played out without him. He chanced a glance at Fumiko, and while her face was blank, her eyes seemed… amused.

“Hokage-sama, if you would please speak to Hyuuga-san quickly, I will take Uchiha-san into your reception room.”

Before Kakashi could reply, Fumiko spoke up. “Pardon me, but that will not be necessary, Nara-san. Hokage-sama and Hyuuga-san may speak, and I will wait in the hallway.” She looked at Kakashi, and her eyes said _Leave me alone with the other kage and I will hurt you_.

And while Kakashi was a pretty laid-back kind of guy, he wasn’t really one for others to dictate his actions. (He also really didn’t want to find out that Fumiko was a woman of her eyes’ word.) He cleared his throat. “That’s enough. Hyuuga-san, I apologize, but I’m unavailable right now. If you wouldn’t mind making an appointment, I can see you then. Shikamaru, I don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing right now, but go do it, please. And you, Uchiha-san, if you would please.” He gestured to his office door, and with a slightly lifted brow, Fumiko turned and stepped inside his office. With a strained smile – not that they could see it – Kakashi wished the two men goodbye and followed her.

He closed the door behind him and looked up to find Fumiko smirking at him.

“My, what power you have, Hokage-sama, wielding it with an iron fist.”

He gave her a bland stare as he came up to just in front of her. “You set this up, didn’t you?”

She blinked. “I’m sorry, Hokage-sama. I don’t know what you mean.”

“I understand that I was the one who ordered Ino into your head, but you’ve set this in motion, haven’t you? You spoke to Ino, suspecting she would speak to Shikamaru, and knowing he would do something about the Elders.”

Fumiko put her hands on her hips. “And here people fear you for your skill. I think the image of ‘Sharingan Kakashi’ has made them blind to your genius.” She laughed briefly and lifted her hands in a shrug. “I figured having someone else confront the Elders about their crimes against my family would… reduce the bloodshed.”

Kakashi momentarily gave thought to how much damage Sasuke or Fumiko could do individually, let alone together, and sighed. “Can you just promise me that the village will remain standing?”

“That is between Nara-san and the Elders. I remain inculpable.” 

Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I have to admit, I’m looking forward to Shikamaru’s reaction when he finds out he’s been manipulated for once.” He shook his head and gestured to the door to his right. “Shall we?”

The playful tilt of her lips faded, the usual Uchiha mask slipping over her features as she nodded her head. Frowning slightly himself – it wasn’t going to be that horrible (probably) – Kakashi walked over to the door and opened it, walking in with a cheerful, “Hello, all!”

“Shame on you, Kakashi. A man shouldn’t leave a woman waiting,” Mei said as all the kage turned to regard him.

“Well, I had to pick up a troublesome kitten on the way over,” he said with a laugh. A very quick and sharp poke to his back had him gasping slightly and stumbling further into the room. When he straightened, he looked behind him at a glaring Fumiko, and the only thing more astonishing than having lost his balance like that was that she had touched him voluntarily.

Without prompting, Fumiko stepped into the room and stood next to him, pointedly ignoring Kakashi’s wide eyes while at the same time conveying her deep desire for him to get on with it. That was skill.

“Oh, and who is this?” Mei continued. “You’re not about to tell us you’re engaged now, are you?” She smiled, but it was dark and scary, daring Kakashi to confirm her suspicions.

Kakashi cleared his throat. “Of course not, Mei-san. But I did bring her here to introduce her to you. Kage-tachi, please allow me to introduce Uchiha Fumiko, the Uchiha clan head and Sasuke’s fraternal aunt.”

He watched as all eyes moved to stare at Fumiko, but she didn’t flinch or shirk from their attention. He pointed at each of the kage in turn. “This is Gaara, A, Mei, and Onoki.” The he noticed all the other people in the room – the various kage entourage – and added, “Oh, and them.”

No one moved, and Kakashi wondered if he’d broken them all, but then Fumiko bowed at his side. “I am honored to meet you all.”

It was Gaara’s sister Temari that moved first, pushing a few people out of her way as she stomped toward where he and Fumiko were standing. “What the hell do you mean ‘ _Uchiha_ Fumiko’?” She glared at them.

“He means I am Uchiha Fumiko, the Uchiha clan head and Sasuke’s fraternal aunt,” Fumiko said beside him, glaring right back at Temari. “Which part of that needs further explanation?”

Ah. The chaos was upon them. Kakashi smiled widely.

“Kakashi,” A said gruffly, shoving his way to the front now. “What is the meaning of this? What is another Uchiha doing here?” The tone of his voice was just slightly restrained disgust, and Kakashi’s amusement faded a bit.

He could feel the threat of violence rolling off Fumiko, and he held up his hands. “Maa, let’s everyone calm down. She was on a long-term mission that only Sandaime knew about, and I just happened to find out and called her back. I thought it best to introduce her in a private setting to reduce the chances of a scene.”

“Then we’re done here, Hokage-sama,” Fumiko said and made to leave.

“Hold on, Uchiha – we have more questions for you,” A said a bit harshly, and Kakashi thought maybe his fun was spiraling out of control. If A made to grab Fumiko, Kakashi had every confidence that he could intercept the old man, but he had absolutely no idea how Fumiko would react. Panic or anger, he guessed, but either one would come with violence, he was now sure as he felt the roiling build of chakra next to him.

“Uh, guys, I don’t feel so good,” Kankurou said above the noise, and then he was falling back against the wall and sliding to the floor. The group all turned to him in concern, crowding around him to find out what was wrong, and in the distraction, Fumiko disappeared from Kakashi’s side in a swirl of leaves.

With a sigh, Kakashi moved to see how Kankurou was doing and was determined to calm everyone down before their next meeting with Fumiko.

This was supposed to be fun. Sometimes he really hated this job.

~*~

Tsunade could feel the sigh coming long before she heard it. Shikamaru came up to stand over her prone figure and muttered curses under his breath before addressing Shizune with, “Why is she sprawled out over my desk?”

Shizune laughed nervously. “Well, Tsunade-sama was up late last night and only just now woke up to greet the kage. She’s just resting her eyes while we waited for you to make sure Rokudaime-sama is ready for her.”

Tsunade cracked open an eye when Shikamaru clicked his tongue. “Hokage-sama is in a weird mood today, but you might want to delay your greeting. Uchiha-san is meeting the kage for the first time today.”

At that, Tsunade sat up. “That’s something I should have been there for!” she bellowed as she stood and took one stomped step closer to the door.

“You’re a bit too late for that, Godaime-sama,” someone said, interrupting Tsunade’s exit. She, Shizune, and Shikamaru looked at the door to see Fumiko standing there, a faint smile on her face. When she had their full attention, she smiled a little wider and nodded her head backward as she advanced. “I don’t think I made the best impression in there.”

Tsunade stared at her a moment, trying to think how meeting the kage could have gone that badly, but then she laughed. “Well, don’t let it get to you too much. That lot will use anything they can against you, believe me.”

Shikamaru stepped up beside Tsunade. “Is there something I can help you with, Uchiha-san?”

Fumiko shook her head. “I sensed Godaime-sama here, and I happened to have a question for her.”

Tsunade crossed her arms and lifted a brow in query. “Oh, yeah?”

Fumiko nodded as she came over to Shikamaru’s desk and lightly touched things here and there. “Well, I was walking through the village the other day and noticed a couple of strange people. Their chakra felt weird, as did their chemical makeup, and I found myself curious as to who they are.”

Tsunade’s brow furrowed at the term “chemical makeup.” Not many outside of the medical field used such terminology, and she wondered what all Fumiko wasn’t telling them about her skill.

Looking up from the desk, Fumiko continued, “I described them to Sasuke later, and he explained that they were ‘Karin’ and ‘Suigetsu,’ members of his old team and fellow ‘prisoners’ of Orochimaru. Naruto-kun kindly elaborated that they now stayed with Orochimaru on the outskirts of the village.”

“And?” Tsunade prompted when Fumiko paused.

“Well, I just found it odd. Never would I have imagined a traitor of Orochimaru’s magnitude to be living so closely to and somewhat peacefully with the village he betrayed.”

Tsunade scoffed. “You sleep with one beneath your roof every night, Uchiha.”

Fumiko’s chin lowered slightly as she smiled, but Tsunade didn’t miss the dangerous glint in her eyes and tensed. She felt Shizune and Shikamaru do the same. 

“Which leads me to my question: was Orochimaru imprisoned, too, upon his return to the village?”

Tsunade was shocked by the question, but she tried hard to hide it. “Why would you want to know that?”

“Well, you know that Sasuke and Naruto-kun have filled me in on a great deal that I have missed, but there’re things they haven’t told me – mostly because they don’t know. But I’ve started to piece some things together, and I couldn’t help but notice some similarities.”

Fumiko picked up a paperweight from Shikamaru’s desk and started turning it over in her fingers, though her eyes never left Tsunade. “You know, Orochimaru betrayed the village and left; actively plotted against it, if what I’ve heard is correct; was a member of Akatsuki once upon a time. Sounds like Sasuke, if I’m honest. And yet, not at any time have I heard or even been led to believe that Orochimaru also served time in Konoha’s prison.”

Tsunade kept her face even as she stared at Fumiko, trying to determine what point Fumiko was trying to make – her poker face coming in quite handy.

“Your heart is racing, Godaime-sama,” Fumiko said quietly, and it moved over Tsunade’s skin like a curse.

How had she known that?! Tsunade’s face was even, but her heart was indeed racing. Fumiko’s question coupled with her suddenly dangerous aura worried Tsunade slightly. She swallowed and steeled her gaze.

“Orochimaru is a sannin and a student of the Sandaime Hokage. His help during the war was instrumental, and I, the clan heads, the Elders, and even Kakashi feel he regrets his actions, and close monitoring by ANBU is seen as a suitable punishment,” she replied. But even as she did so, she knew it was only fuel for Fumiko’s fire, made apparent by the straightening of the woman’s back and the scowl on her face.

“That’s quite a scripted response you have there, Godaime-sama. Makes me wonder what you have to say when I point out that Sasuke is also a gifted shinobi and a student of the Rokudaime Hokage and that _his_ help during the war was a _deciding_ factor. Moreover, he also has learned a lesson from his trials, yet he was immediately thrown in prison.”

Tsunade grit her teeth. “Sasuke killed a Hokage.”

“I’d like to point out that the man of whom you speak was never sworn in as Hokage, whereas you can draw a direct line from Orochimaru’s actions to the death of Sandaime.”

Tsunade let a growl slip past her lips. “What is your point, Uchiha?”

Fumiko set the paperweight down on the desk. “I have no point, Godaime-sama. I am merely trying to ascertain why the consequences for the same set of crimes differs between Orochimaru and Sasuke and to what degree that discrepancy is grounded in the Elders being lenient with Shimura’s ally and their desire to silence someone who can confront them for their actions against the Uchiha clan.”

Tsunade blanched. “Are you insinuating that the Elders wanted Sasuke imprisoned to…” She couldn’t quite finish that sentence.

“Are you telling me that death wouldn’t have been the end game if Rokudaime-sama and Naruto-kun hadn’t pleaded on Sasuke’s behalf?”

Tsunade honestly didn’t know.

“You see, because there seems to me to be some sort of double standard. Orochimaru betrayed the village, but he didn’t pose a threat to the Elders, right? In fact, he actively colluded with Shimura on some things, yes? And Sasuke, well, he found out what the Elders did and can not only reveal it but pay them back for it.”

Tsunade felt the uncomfortable shifting of Shizune and Shikamaru beside her.

“Further, I just have to wonder – with this mad plot to force Sasuke to marry – would it really have served to calm his rage, or would his wife and children have been used against him to keep him in line? A sad albeit expected repeat of what they did with Itachi, I’d say.”

Tsunade had no response to that, and her thinned lips must have given that away. Fumiko smirked at her.

“Hm,” Fumiko hummed when Tsunade failed to respond. “That’s all I needed to know. Thank you for your time, Godaime-sama.” She bowed, giving her goodbyes to Shikamaru and Shizune, and then she left.

Tsunade was left in stunned silence. Shikamaru cleared his throat and said, “I might be overthinking this, but I think that was all for my benefit.”

Tsunade turned to face him. “What do you mean?”

He leaned against his desk as he crossed his arms. “I’m getting the clans together to bring the Elders down,” he said matter-of-factly. At Tsunade’s bewildered look, he added with a nod toward the door, “I think that was her giving me more ammunition, and, damn,” he chuckled softly, “I think she’s been playing me this whole time.”

“Are you serious?”

Shikamaru frowned down at the ground. “What worries me more is how much she’s figured out and how well she’s used that information in the short amount of time she’s been here. If my plan doesn’t work, I’m afraid of what she’ll do next.”

“Well, if she’s as skilled a fighter as she seems to be a strategist, then we’re in for one hell of a Jounin Exam,” Tsunade finally muttered. Shikamaru gave her a pretty bland stare, but she just shrugged it off and started for Kakashi’s office.

She’d defend Konoha to her death, but she’d hardly bat an eye if the Elders went down in flames. If that was Fumiko’s goal, short of mass destruction, more power to her.

~*~

Sakura stood nervously before the old stadium where the Chuunin Exams were traditionally held. It had been fixed up as much as possible after the attack from Akatsuki, but it wasn’t quite up to snuff. She’d heard rumors that a new, state-of-the-art stadium was planned, but Kakashi had muttered something about not having enough money for it just yet.

In just a few short minutes, the Jounin Exam would begin, and while it wasn’t about winning, it was still nerve-racking. (And why should it be, after facing down Madara and Kaguya? But it was.)

“Sakura-san,” someone called her quietly, and she turned to find Hinata standing behind her.

“Hinata, hi!” she said, smiling as she greeted her ‘sensei.’

Hinata returned her smile. “How are you doing? Are you ready for your matches?”

“Oh, you know,” Sakura laughed as she shrugged and clasped her hands behind her back. “I think the fact that I don’t know who or what I’m up against is weighing down on me. If you think about it, it’s not very different from the Chuunin Exam, even if I’m a little older, and hopefully a little wiser.”

Hinata reached out and squeezed her arm briefly. “Well, you’re definitely a lot stronger, so you’ll be fine.”

Sakura smiled softly at those words. Yes, she was so much stronger than she was those years ago, but so was everyone else. It was natural to feel nervous. She breathed in and out a few times. Then both her and Hinata’s attention was snared by a loud call from several yards away.

“Sakura-chan!”

They looked over to see Naruto waving back and forth frantically, leading what looked like the rest of the Rookie Nine plus Lee and TenTen. And yes, that included Sasuke, and just the sight of him quietly walking next to Naruto had Sakura’s heart racing and a blush forming on her cheeks.

Naruto came right up to her and embraced her in a tight hug. “Good luck today, Sakura-chan! I know you’re going to kick ass!” The others said the same as they passed them to get good seats in the stadium. Sasuke stopped and stood silently by Naruto’s side.

Laughing, Sakura pushed Naruto away and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Of course I am,” she said confidently, though more so than she actually felt. The most anxiety-inducing aspect of the exam was that Kakashi had put some weird gag rule in place, so no one had any idea who would be competing – a way to keep it exciting and see who can truly improvise at the drop of a hat, or so he said. But she knew these people, fellow shinobi of Konoha with whom she’d stood shoulder to shoulder against Obito and Madara and their army. And she’d been personally trained by two Hokage; her chances were slightly higher than normal.

“Well, confidence is key, Sakura-san,” someone said from behind Sasuke and Naruto, and the boys parted to reveal Fumiko.

Sakura opened her mouth to greet the Uchiha clan head, but she came up short when the sight before her finally registered. 

Fumiko was shorter than the boys, but taller than Sakura, and she struck an imposing figure standing with her back straight and wearing her navy hakama low on her waist. She wore an open uwagi, and underneath, she’d wrapped her chest and torso tightly in a sarashi. Her hair was in a high tail on the crown of her head, and two swords were slung across her shoulders, her right arm up casually to hold them in place.

“Fumiko-san,” Hinata mumbled as she bowed. “Are you fighting today?” she asked with a bit of surprise, taking the question right from Sakura’s mouth.

Fumiko smiled as she tilted her head. “Indeed. These two brats conned me into it.” She nodded her head at Naruto and Sasuke, who both avoided eye contact with her as Naruto laughed nervously.

“Well, good luck!” Hinata said, though Sakura saw the glance she threw her way. 

This shouldn’t shake her by any means – but it did. This exam was important for many reasons: she would prove to herself that she was strong and prove to everyone that she was on equal footing with her childhood teammates, that she hadn’t been left behind in the dust. It was something she’d been striving to do for years. But, also, it was to prove to Fumiko that she was everything that Sasuke needed.

And it was going to be hard to do that if, on an off chance, she was pitted against Fumiko – the one person in Konoha that no one knew anything about.

She felt a light touch on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Hinata smiling at her. “Don’t worry, Sakura-san. You’ll be great.”

Sakura looked at Fumiko chatting with Sasuke and Naruto and clenched her fists. This was no time to doubt herself and worry.

She looked back at Hinata and smiled. “Of course I will.”

_Shannaro._

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A transitional chapter - kind of blah, but it's setting up some good sh*t. The next chapter will start with a fight scene, so it might take longer to get out. (I suck at action.) Also - a note on the Jounin Exam: there is no such thing in the manga, therefore I have made up my own backstory and rules. Yosh!
> 
> Thanks for reading! I look forward to your comments and feedback!


	13. Chapter 13

Sasuke kept in a sigh as they finally made their way to their seats, parting with Sakura and the other shinobi of their acquaintance as they went to the fighters’ location. Wherever that was, because the last time he’d been in this stadium, he’d been late and not seated with the others. But that was a time he’d rather forget.

“I wonder how this is going to go,” Naruto said as he sat down next to Sasuke. Ino sat down on Naruto’s other side.

“Shika said it was going to function similarly to the Chuunin Exam. There will be a round of fighting, and the winners of those will go through another round of fighting, and so on,” she said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “There aren’t that many participating, so it shouldn’t take all day.”

Naruto grunted as he crossed his arms. “I just hope I don’t have to wait forever to see Sakura-chan in action. Apparently, she’s been training with Hinata-chan, so it should be interesting.”

Sasuke tuned them out as Kiba and Naruto started up a conversation on who they thought would win in round one, ultimately putting money on it and talking others into joining the bet. When Naruto turned to him to ask if he wanted “in on the action,” Sasuke scoffed and turned away, his eye catching on two people making their way toward him.

“Sasuke!” Karin waved enthusiastically, hauling Suigetsu by the hand and plopping down in the open seat next to him, Juugo following behind silently.

Sasuke hadn’t seen his old team in a while; in fact, Fumiko asking about them the other day was the first he’d even thought of them in a long time, and he was surprised to find he felt a little guilty about that. So he nodded to acknowledge Karin’s greeting and provided a low “Hello” to all three, followed by questioning what they were doing there.

“Eh? You act like we’re not allowed,” Suigetsu said in an obnoxiously loud voice that garnered Naruto’s attention. He looked around Sasuke, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he saw them. He greeted them enthusiastically, asking the same question Sasuke had, interrupted by Kiba standing over them and asking if they’d like to make a wager.

“To answer your question, Sasuke,” Karin said, adjusting her glasses on her face, “That creepy Yamato guy came to see Orochimaru-sama and said he was formally invited by the Hokage to attend the exam as his guest. So, here we are.”

Sasuke quickly glanced over at the box where the kage gathered, his sharp eye taking in the five kage, Tsunade, Shikamaru, the Elders, and Orochimaru. Naruto had also looked in that direction, and when he turned back to Sasuke, his brow was drawn in concern.

“What do you think that’s about?” Naruto whispered.

Sasuke kept his gaze on the box, his eyes narrowed and lips thinned. He shook his head, not immediately able to ascertain a reason for the man’s presence, but he knew his attention would be mostly on that box rather than the fights for the rest of the day.

Which was fine, as Genma came out to start the matches, and it was one fight after another of names he didn’t know and skills that were – to him – lacking. Naruto and his friends got rowdier with each match that went by, Kiba calling out odds and Naruto wondering when Sakura and Fumiko would get their turns, while Karin and Suigetsu bitched and moaned about this and that – Sasuke really couldn’t be bothered to listen – and Juugo just sat quietly.

It was another surreal moment for Sasuke, honestly, never quite imagining he’d be here of all places with these people after everything he’d done. And all the while, he kept wondering what Orochimaru was doing here and why – _why?!_ – the man had accepted the invitation.

Naruto’s loud shout next to him brought him out of his contemplation, and after looking at Naruto’s excited face focused on the arena, Sasuke looked down at the ground and found Sakura walking out, her back straight and fists clenched.

“Haruno Sakura versus,” Genma said, and Sasuke’s eyes widened as he caught sight of the white uwagi and blue hakama.

“Uchiha Fumiko.”

The loud cheering stuttered throughout the stadium, and a shocked murmur rippled through the crowds. He could feel the surreptitious glances cast his way, which only increased when Karin began to yell in his ear.

“Did he just say ‘Uchiha’?!” She grabbed his cloak and tried to shake him. “What’s going on, Sasuke?!”

He closed his eyes and grunted, in no mood _whatsoever_ to deal with this and whatever the fallout might be.

~*~

Sakura could only stare, wide-eyed, as Fumiko entered the arena opposite her. As more and more fights had gone by without hearing either her name or Fumiko’s, she’d felt this would be the outcome; and yet, the supposition paled in comparison to the reality.

But… this worked, she guessed. Beating an Uchiha would meet all her objectives. She swallowed, clenching her fists tightly, and brought her arms up – prepared to go on the offensive or defensive as needed, her left leg forward and knees bent slightly.

Genma gave the signal to start and jumped out of the arena, and Sakura tensed, waiting to see what Fumiko would do. Except… she didn’t do anything, just stood staring at Sakura, one hip cocked to the side and her hand resting on the hilt of her sheathed sword.

After a moment of silence, Sakura cleared her throat and asked, “Fumiko-san, aren’t you going to unsheathe your sword?”

Fumiko smirked – a very familiar twist of lips that made her heart stutter. “Being a master of iaijutsu, I think not.”

Sakura didn’t know what that was, but she assumed it had something to do with swordsmanship. If only she’d known Fumiko would be participating, she would have studied up on it a little bit!

“I must say,” Fumiko continued casually, “I’m surprised to see you here, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura furrowed her brows and frowned. “Why?”

Fumiko shrugged. “You’re a medic-nin.”

“I’m sorry, Fumiko-san,” Sakura said, her eyes glued to her opponent, remaining still, though the audience was starting to get rowdy, waiting for them to move. “I don’t understand.”

Fumiko frowned slightly. “The laws of medical ninjutsu just seem to counter the need for you to become a jounin.”

Sakura tightened her fists. “The fourth law allows those who master the Hundred Healings technique to break the other laws. And currently, the only medic-nin who can do so are Tsunade-shishou… and me.”

“I see,” Fumiko said. “So that means you are allowed to fight on the front lines.” She clicked her tongue. “Of course, that also means you are allowed to be the first to die.” And before Sakura could even draw breath to respond, Fumiko flickered out of sight. Sakura tried to feel her out, sense where her chakra was, and she gasped and spun as she felt Fumiko behind her, in the same casual pose as before – one hip cocked out and hand on the hilt of her sword. “See, if we had been enemies, you’d be dead.”

Sakura pressed her lips together and flipped backward, putting some distance between her and Fumiko. But as she landed, she pulled her fist back and punched the ground, watching it crack, shatter, explode directly at Fumiko, and as the older woman began to dodge the debris, pulling her sword to slice at the larger chunks, Sakura jumped into it, preparing to engage Fumiko in close-range combat, ready to use her incredible strength against her. At least for now.

Sakura placed herself right behind a giant chunk of rock, could hear the whistle and shriek of Fumiko’s blade against it just on the other side. She pulled her fist back, ready to strike as soon as the rock fell into smaller pieces around them, and when she could see Fumiko’s face through the dust and gravel in the air, she let fly, her fist slamming into Fumiko’s face full on – a knock out.

Except… Fumiko didn’t budge, didn’t go flying back, and Sakura’s fingers felt like she’d hit a steel wall rather than a human face. She jumped back, eyes wide, a respectable distance between them as the debris settled. Fumiko slowly straightened, her shoulders coming up one at a time, as if working out a crick in her neck.

“How…?” Sakura asked breathily.

“Tell me, Sakura-chan,” Fumiko said as she sheathed her sword with one hand, “During your training to harness this monstrous strength, did your sensei teach you what to do when your opponent’s strength is greater than yours?”

Sakura took in Fumiko’s casual stance and serious face. She somehow got the feeling that the woman wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment, didn’t care how the fight ended, but also that she was seriously trying to impart something to Sakura.

She clenched her fists as she remained in her defensive position. “I’ve fought many people stronger than me, Fumiko-san.” She smiled ruefully. “My best friends and teammates are stronger than me. But if there’s anything that Naruto has taught me over the years, it’s that there’s always a way to win.”

She brought her fingers up in the sign that she had seen Naruto do a thousand times before and brought two shadow clones to the battle. This had taken so much work to figure out, and she was very proud of herself. Sure, she would never be able to make as many as Naruto – no one ever would – but even knowing a Forbidden Jutsu wasn’t something everyone could boast.

Fumiko smiled slightly. “Always a way to win, huh?”

Forgoing a response, Sakura and her two clones shifted their stances, going into the first stance of the Gentle Fist. Hinata hadn’t taught her the whole of the martial art, just some of the stances and moves that would help her in attacking the chakra points. Fumiko made no outward sign that she recognized the stance, but Sakura didn’t let the non-reaction lead her to believe she had an advantage. Inhaling softly, Sakura braced herself and subtly signaled her clones to attack.

They did so, simultaneously charging Fumiko and engaging her in hand-to-hand – something Sakura had never been all that great at, but it helped that there were two of them. They kept Fumiko occupied, dodging and countering from two sides, which allowed Sakura to watch and wait for the opening she needed.

Seeing one, Sakura charged in, slipping to the ground and sliding low into Fumiko’s legs. Her hakama hid the exact width of her legs, but Sakura sensed the flow of chakra and quickly speared several chakra points on either leg. Fumiko let out a noise of surprise, and Sakura supposed it created another opening that her clones used to hit the chakra points closest to them. She glanced up, seeing her clones hitting the arms, so she jumped up and began on the points in the neck and chest.

She could hardly believe it, but Fumiko’s surprise seemed to leave her unable to retaliate, but Sakura wouldn’t let that distract her. She continued, utilizing all the speed her training with Hinata had provided, and soon – hours it seemed, but was probably only seconds – all sixty-four of Fumiko’s chakra points were blocked, and with a victorious grin, Sakura pulled back her fist and hit Fumiko in the chest, sending her flying backward and toward the stadium wall.

Sakura watched as Fumiko’s hand reached to her hip, but then a cloud of dust came up, obscuring Fumiko’s body from sight. The expected sound of impact never came, so Sakura and her clones kept up their defensive stances.

The crowd was cheering around her, and she could swear she heard Naruto’s booming voice through all of it, but her sense of victory was slowly dwindling as the dust cleared to reveal Fumiko kneeling on the ground, her sword buried deep in the dirt at the end of a long rut, created from where she’d obviously dug the blade in to slow her down and stop her collision with the wall. After a moment, Fumiko took a deep breath and heaved herself up, pulling her sword from the ground and slowly sliding it into the sheath. Blood dripped from her mouth and down her chin.

“I am impressed, Sakura-chan,” Fumiko said. “To think you would appropriate another clan’s technique to supplement your own skills – a very Uchiha thing to do.” She chuckled, and the darkness that chuckle held diminished the brief flare of pleasure and surprise Sakura felt of being favorably compared to someone of the Uchiha clan.

Sakura frowned as she eyed Fumiko. Her hakama and uwagi were shredded where Sakura’s fingers had hit her, and what skin could be seen was bruised and dirtied. But Fumiko somehow looked far from defeated. “Your chakra has been blocked, Fumiko-san. Please yield.”

Fumiko blinked at her before letting out a more genuine laugh. “Oh, Sakura-chan! If there’s anything I hope to teach you and your generation before the day is out, it would be to never believe an opponent is down for the count just because they can’t use chakra.”

And before Sakura could respond – as if she even had a response to that! – Fumiko flowed into some sort of offensive stance, her hands on her sword, and then she was drawing, lightning-quick, sending the blade slicing into the ground with such force that the earth shattered and exploded, sending a wave of debris at Sakura and her clones so quickly that there was no hope of dodging. Her clones popped out of existence, and Sakura brought her arms up to protect her head as she slammed into the ground several yards behind where she’d been standing.

She waited for most of the debris to settle around her before scrambling to her feet, but Fumiko hadn’t followed it up with another attack, hadn’t taken the opportunity to end it while Sakura had been vulnerable. More and more Sakura believed Fumiko was not here to win, but to prove a point. Whether that point was aimed at Sakura or someone else, she wasn’t sure, but it sure was sending Sakura a message that she had a long way to go to be worthy of some of the praise she’d received after the war.

“Why didn’t you finish me?” she asked as she got into another defensive position.

Fumiko shrugged. “I just wanted to ask one more question.” She tilted her head slightly. “What do you stand to gain from this, other than a promotion?” She nodded her head at Sakura. “I can tell – you’re giving off steely vibes of determination. What is this about?”

Sakura swallowed, wondering if she should answer. She inhaled shakily. “I just want to prove to myself that I’m a good fighter, that I’m not completely worthless.” A brief image of Sasuke and Naruto’s backs flashed in her mind. “And I want to prove it to everyone else – to my superiors, my teammates, my friends. To you. And to Sasuke-kun.”

Fumiko stared at her a moment. “Those are some serious and admirable goals, Sakura-chan. But if your friends don’t already see your worth, then you don’t need them as friends.” She gave Sakura a soft and gentle smile, but then it shifted to a slight frown. “But I am unclear what you need to prove to me.”

Sakura grit her teeth in frustration. “I just want you to know that I am worthy of being with Sasuke-kun!”

At that, Fumiko’s lips thinned and something dark flashed through her eyes. “Who Sasuke spends his time with romantically or otherwise is none of my business, Sakura-chan. I’ve already told you my opinion on your feelings. It’s now time for you to act and face the outcome with grace and humility.”

And with that, Fumiko jumped into the air and rolled so that she started her descent head-first, her sword held in both hands as she swung it down. The strike missed Sakura – intentionally, even she could see that – but the impact into the ground was like the other attack, the blowback sending Sakura flying into the stadium wall. Her breath left in a rush with the impact, and she collapsed to the ground.

She was distracted trying to get her lungs to inhale, so she didn’t see the sharp blade until the tip was pressed lightly against her throat. She glanced up at Fumiko, taking in her stoic face as she continued carefully gulping in air.

“Yield,” Fumiko said softly. And she did, tears welling in her eyes as Genma returned to call the victory for Fumiko. Fumiko backed off and sheathed her sword, sighing as she watched Sakura stand. “Sakura-chan,” she called softly, walking up to her. “You’re a wonderful shinobi and a great medic. That’s what I’ve heard about you. But you have some awful self-doubt that gets in the way. And, pardon me for saying, but I think a lot of it is caused by your desire to seem… perfect in Sasuke’s eyes. Cut that out; no one’s perfect. And when you do, you’ll be able to move forward. Okay?”

Sakura nodded, trying to wipe her eyes without it seeming like it. “Um, thank you, Fumiko-san,” she said quietly. Fumiko hummed in response, and Sakura turned and fled the stadium. She could feel the tears coming, and she didn’t want anyone to see them. She ran until she found a deserted little alcove and covered her face with her hands as she finally let herself cry.

Fumiko was probably right – Sakura probably had a very poor view of herself compared to how others saw her. But it wasn’t so easy to shout down the voices in her head that kept telling her that she was useless if she wasn’t on equal footing with Naruto and Sasuke. And if she wasn’t on equal footing, Sasuke could never love her.

She felt a presence with her in the alcove, and she quickly scrubbed her hands over her face. Looking up, expecting to find Ino or Hinata or even Naruto, she was stunned to find Sasuke standing there, his face showing the slightest bit of confusion.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun,” she said, wiping at her eyes more. “What are you doing here?”

“Naruto and Hinata wanted to make sure that you were okay.” Sakura tilted her head in question, which he correctly interpreted as her asking why they weren’t there. “I told them I would look for you.” He paused for a moment, regarding her with his one visible eye. “I want to know what you meant when you told Fumiko-oba that you wanted her to think you were worthy of being with me.”

Sakura blushed. “You heard that?”

He nodded. “We could hear most of what was said.” He tilted his head. “Sakura, do you think you’re inadequate in any way?”

For some unknown reason, Sakura felt cornered by the question. She pressed herself into the wall, a slightly hysterical laugh bubbling up her throat and spilling past her trembling lips. Here was Sasuke – the man she couldn’t impress with her brains, brawn, or body to save her life – asking if she thought she was inadequate.

Fumiko’s words suddenly sounded in her head, stopping her laughter: _It’s now time for you to act and face the outcome with grace and humility._

She’d already confessed to Sasuke – what more action could she take? Then again, she hadn’t demanded a response at the time. Perhaps now she should.

Clenching her fists to hide their trembling, Sakura looked up at Sasuke. “How could I not feel inadequate, Sasuke-kun? The one person I have ever loved and longed to have his attention, his heart, barely gives me the time of day.”

Sasuke’s eye widened in surprise. Sakura laughed humorlessly. “You know, I didn’t think Naruto and I had much in common, but I realized we do in that we both wanted you to look at us and acknowledge us as people you could love and respect. But whereas Naruto met that goal, I never have. My skills are nowhere near yours, and you don’t find me attractive. It’s a bit hard on the self-esteem, you know?”

“Sakura,” Sasuke began, but she held up a hand to stop whatever he was going to say.

“It’s pathetic, I know, that my self-worth hinges on how you feel about me. And I think a lot of people have tried to tell me that, but it looks like it took Fumiko-san to really hammer it in. So, I need to work on that. I need my self-worth to hinge on me. And to do that, I need to close a door on the impossible and look toward the possible.”

Sakura pushed herself off the wall and stood tall as she faced down the man of her dreams.

“Uchiha Sasuke – I am in love with you, and having your love and your heart would be the greatest gift and treasure of my life. I want to know you, I want to have a life with you, a family. And I think it’s clear, even to me, that you don’t now return those feelings. But I have to know – could you ever?”

It seemed as if time slowed to a crawl as she waited for Sasuke to answer. Maybe it was unfair, an impossible question to answer. Could any of them truly know how they’d feel about anything in the future? But her greatest enemy right now – what she’d mistakenly thought was her friend – was hope. She needed that hope irrevocably crushed if she ever wanted to move forward and grow as a person and a shinobi.

Sasuke took a deep breath and exhaled as he took a single step closer to her. Her breath caught as his eye gazed into hers and he opened his mouth to speak.

“Sakura.”

~*~

“Another Uchiha?” Orochimaru asked as Fumiko made her way into the arena. Kakashi looked at him from the corner of his eye, switching the gaze to Shikamaru briefly just on the other side of the man.

“Yes,” he answered. “She just returned from a long diplomatic mission in Iron.”

“How interesting,” Orochimaru husked. “I am rather surprised that Danzo didn’t know about her.”

They had not made any attempt to hush their conversation, and Kakashi noticed the slight stiffening of the Elders’ shoulders from his vantage point behind them as they spoke. Orochimaru had quickly defined his role without any prompting from him or Shikamaru, confirmed by a slight smile he’d aimed Kakashi’s way when they’d first sat.

“Apparently, no one knew about it,” Tsunade added from Kakashi’s other side. “Sandaime sent her without telling anyone.”

“And have you evaluated her skill level?” Orochimaru asked as he leaned forward slightly, his eyes trained on Fumiko as she and Sakura faced off, each waiting for the other to move. Sakura said something about Fumiko readying her sword, to which Fumiko responding with a smirk. “Iaijutsu?” Orochimaru repeated.

“Yes,” Kakashi said in a bored tone, his eyes tracking every breath the Elders took. “She’s a kenjutsu master, which I find a fair trade for the fact that she doesn’t have the Sharingan.”

“Oh?” Orochimaru said as he leaned back again, watching intently as Sakura moved away from Fumiko and proceeded to destroy the stadium ground. Kakashi sighed at the thought of how much it would cost to fix it. “Then Danzo would have no need for her. He was, as you know, only targeting Uchiha with strong Sharingan. Makes one wonder why the ones without the Sharingan had to die.”

Kakashi pressed his lips together behind his mask. Orochimaru was very good with his words. Without expressly saying that the Uchiha massacre had been Danzo’s decision, he’d seamlessly tied Danzo’s possession of several Sharingan to the death of the clan members.

And this was incredibly risky, and he could only hope Shikamaru knew what he was doing, because while letting the Elders know that Orochimaru could provide the evidence needed to condemn them, they were also divulging the same information to the other kage. Kakashi could feel a building tension behind him where the other kage sat.

“Tell me, Sakura-chan,” Fumiko’s voice drifted up from the arena after Sakura’s punch had done zero damage. “During your training to harness this monstrous strength, did your sensei teach you what to do when your opponent’s strength is greater than yours?”

Tsunade made a rude noise at the question, the bench creaking ominously beneath her clenched fist. Kakashi was glad his mask hid his smile, but Orochimaru chuckled outright.

“Did you bother teaching your student any defensive maneuvers, Tsunade-hime?” Orochimaru rasped.

“Tch.” Tsunade glared at him. “Sakura could squash anyone here, especially this Uchiha whelp. This is just more Uchiha mind games.”

Kakashi raised a brow at that, not too sure Fumiko couldn’t back it up, but when Sakura summoned two shadow clones, he was momentarily distracted from their main purpose by the fight. When had Sakura learned how to do that? He then watched in wide-eyed wonder as Sakura proceeded to attack and close off Fumiko’s chakra points as well as any Hyuuga.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Sakura hit Fumiko and sent her flying toward the wall, but those excited cries were quickly replaced with gasps as the dust settled to show that Fumiko had prevented impact by anchoring her sword in the ground.

They heard Sakura ask Fumiko to yield, and even Kakashi was surprised when Fumiko laughed. The kage and their guests shifted restlessly behind him.

“This might be interesting,” Gaara commented quietly. “There are very few shinobi who are still formidable without use of their chakra. This would be a lesson to all.”

“You have a point, Kazekage,” Mei said. “But even the samurai use chakra with their swords. What can she do without it?”

Kakashi opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Fumiko’s sword was out and swinging into the ground, the earth ripping and moving toward Sakura at an alarming speed.

“Hm,” A hummed as they watched Sakura’s clones disappear. “That was some monstrous strength. And her chakra is blocked.”

“Perhaps now we know why she could take a punch to the face and not move,” Kakashi murmured to Tsunade. Orochimaru heard him, though, and chuckled. He watched while Tsunade grumbled, wondering why Fumiko didn’t follow up with a finishing move. But clearly, she didn’t necessarily need to win to be promoted. Kakashi would be a fool not to make her a jounin when she could wield that kind of power without chakra.

“I just want you to know that I am worthy of being with Sasuke-kun!” Sakura declared loudly, her face the picture of frustration. Kakashi winced. He’d been a witness to Sakura’s painful love for too many years, though he’d been rather unaware that it was still… a thing. He vaguely wondered what Fumiko’s response was, the words too low to really make out, but then he was captivated by her next attack – a powerful jump upward and a roll midair that had her barreling head-first toward Sakura, her sword above her head and held in both hands. He knew instinctively that in a normal battle, the sword would more than likely come down on the opponent’s head and probably slice him in two, but Fumiko adjusted for the situation, striking the ground instead, the resulting explosion of earth sending Sakura into the stadium wall.

And it seemed Fumiko was done, as she placed the tip of her sword to Sakura’s throat. Genma jumped into the arena and declared Fumiko the winner. He watched Sakura run from the arena, hoping that one of her friends would make sure she was all right.

“Well, as much as I didn’t want to be impressed, this Uchiha did just that,” Oonoki grumped.

“At least the Tsuchikage isn’t letting Madara’s memory keep him from recognizing talent,” Orochimaru said. “Even without the Sharingan, I do believe Danzo would have been interested in this one.”

“Orochimaru,” Mei called softly but with a curious lilt to her voice that had Kakashi paying more attention. “You keep implying that Danzo was interested in the Uchiha clan, that he coveted the Sharingan.”

Orochimaru smirked at Kakashi before turning his gaze Mei’s way. “Who doesn’t covet an impressive ocular jutsu? Kumogakure and I included, yes?”

Kakashi turned in his seat to eye Mei, taking in her raised brow and pursed lips. She wanted to ask more questions, he just knew it, and he cut his eyes to the Elders in front of him and then Shikamaru, who had a small smirk on his lips. But before she could continue, a loud murmur rippled through the crowd, drawing Kakashi’s attention.

Five people in black robes and masks had entered the arena, and as Kakashi stood up, alarmed, one of them sat cross-legged on the ground, hands forming rapid seals that formed a dark purple barrier around the arena. It was large and pressed up against the stands, so close Kakashi could reach out and touch it.

“And it gets more interesting,” Orochimaru said as he stood next to Kakashi.

“What do you mean?” Kakashi asked, his eyes never leaving the forms in the arena who seemed to be after Fumiko as they surrounded her. He noticed how the other kage and their guests had stood and gotten closer to the barrier, while the Elders had backed up.

Orochimaru reached his hand out to briefly touch the barrier. “This is one of Nidaime’s Forbidden Jutsu.” He frowned down at the arena. “It might seem like a normal barrier, but it has some fundamental differences that make it far too dangerous to be taught widespread.”

He pointed his finger at the sitting form. “Him – he’s the anchor. Instead of several people forming a barrier from the outside, this one is formed by one on the inside. And it cannot be undone unless the anchor releases it or dies. But this is a 360-degree barrier that prevents all outside attacks.”

Gaara grunted. “That would explain why my sand cannot get to them.”

“Yes, Kazekage. Nothing gets in or out. They either do what they came to and leave, or she kills them.”

Kakashi clenched his fists, momentarily helpless. He watched as the four remaining attackers advanced on Fumiko, but she grasped the hilt of her sword and took a slight step forward before spinning, the glint of her sword flashing as it cut through all four attackers. But they jumped back quickly enough that only their cloaks had been slashed. Two of them produced kunai and charged Fumiko again, while one completed a doton to create a mud wall behind her to stop a retreat.

A sudden explosion rocked the stadium, and Kakashi looked up to see a large Rasengan slamming into the top of the barrier, but after several seconds of no effect, it fizzled out, and Naruto landed on the small ledge before them.

“Naruto-kun,” Orochimaru greeted. “Your attacks will do no good.”

“Well, I can’t just sit there and do nothing while Fumiko-chan is attacked!” He turned around to look at them, his eyes golden in his sage mode, and they flitted over to Shikamaru. “Can you think of anything, Shikamaru?”

“Tch.” Shikamaru scrubbed his hands through his hair. “I’ve been trying, but I don’t see any way around this barrier.” He looked at Orochimaru. “Are you sure Nidaime didn’t build in a failsafe?”

“None of which I can think,” Orochimaru said. “Nidaime was quite adept at creating jutsu that have no weakness.”

“Every jutsu has a weakness,” Naruto said as he turned to look back at the barrier.

Shikamaru moved to stand by Naruto’s side. “Orochimaru says that the anchor has to release the barrier or die.” He hummed. “But even before either of those, he would expend too much chakra to keep it up indefinitely.”

“So, we need to suck his chakra out?” Naruto asked. He snapped his fingers together. “Sasuke!” He created a clone that immediately ran off to find Sasuke, Kakashi imagined. “The Rinnegan can negate any ninjutsu.”

“Then we should help find Uchiha!” Temari said as she ran off, too, Kankuro and some of the others following behind. Bee flew off with them, yelling out, “Gonna find the missing Uchiha / Gonna stop this wicked barrier ye-ah!” Kakashi let them do as they wished, knowing no one would be able to find Sasuke faster than Naruto.

Kakashi returned his attention to the arena, seeing that Fumiko had been able to fend off her attackers and slightly maneuver herself closer to the anchor. She must have figured out that she needed to take him out, but the other four weren’t making it easy.

But Fumiko did seem to be slowing down, tired from her fight with Sakura and fending off these attackers. Kakashi quickly glanced around, trying to spot Sasuke, but his eyes were drawn back to the arena – only to see one of the attacker’s fists circumvent Fumiko’s defenses and punch her in the chest, causing her to cough up blood and sink to her knees. Sakura must have ruptured something internally with her last hit.

Kakashi pressed up against the barrier, his fist coming down hard against it, as one of the attackers got behind Fumiko, kneeling and grabbing her hair in a fist. Her neck was pulled back, and the momentary look of utter fear on her face shook Kakashi. But then – and he couldn’t be sure – he thought her eyes shifted and settled on him, and the fear was replaced by resignation. And as quick as she’d been all day, her blade came up and plunged into her torso and through her attacker.

The onlookers gasped and cried out; Naruto screamed out Fumiko’s name; and the barrier wavered and shattered as Susanoo landed in the arena. Kakashi wasted no time jumping down as well, followed by Tsunade and the other kage. The attackers scattered, immediately chased by a horde of Konoha shinobi – Naruto and Sasuke included. Kakashi skidded to a stop by Fumiko’s prone body, Tsunade ungently pushing him aside to check her out. Sakura and Shizune also appeared, and Hinata, who immediately hit all her chakra points to unblock her chakra. Sakura pulled the sword from Fumiko’s body, and Tsunade and Shizune immediately began to heal the wound to stop the bleeding.

“We have to get her to the hospital,” Tsunade said just as the medics arrived with the stretcher. They carefully hauled Fumiko onto it, and then they were off, Tsunade and Shizune still somehow administering medical attention while running.

Kakashi watched until he couldn’t see them anymore and turned to head off after his shinobi, but Sai suddenly appeared beside him, followed by Shikamaru and, surprisingly, Orochimaru. “What?” he asked, his voice strained.

“Hokage-sama,” Sai said quietly. “I thought I should inform you that those people were former Root members.”

Kakashi stared wide-eyed at that. “How are you sure?” But Sai just stared at him, and Kakashi realized that it didn’t much matter. If Sai – a former Root member himself – said they were, they were.

“Well, that’s not surprising,” Orochimaru said. “That barrier jutsu can only be found in the Forbidden Scroll. Or was taught by someone who knew Nidaime when he created it.”

“The Elders,” Shikamaru said softly. Kakashi frowned. If they didn’t teach the jutsu themselves, they certainly would be able to grant access to the Forbidden Scroll to someone else – like Danzo or the attackers. He quickly cast his gaze back up to the stands, noting that the Elders were no longer there.

“We’ll have to deal with that later,” Kakashi finally said. “We need to see if we can capture those men alive. Who knows what Sasuke will do to them if he catches them.”

Sai nodded and took off in the direction they had fled. Kakashi would leave that task to his shinobi. Meanwhile, he and Shikamaru needed to start damage control and assure the villagers and the other kage that they were not under attack.

And he was going to promote Naruto as soon as possible and start his training to deal with things like this instead of him, Kakashi thought with a growl.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year's Eve! Thought I'd update something before 2018 was gone. :)
> 
> Sorry that fight scene kind of sucked - I am not good at them. At all. But I do kind of like the little confrontation between Sakura and Sasuke. Tell me what you thought of it! And how do you think Sasuke will respond? (That'll start off the next chapter.)
> 
> See you next year!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! It's been a while on this fic, and I apologize for that. For one thing, I got drawn into a different story, and for another... this chapter kicked my ass. It includes Sasuke's response to Sakura's confession, and I can't even begin to describe how hard that was to write. I rewrote it like, six times. I'm not really too thrilled with this chapter at all. But I need to just get past it to let this story move forward.
> 
> Oh, well. Despite that, I hope you enjoy!

“Uchiha Sasuke – I am in love with you, and having your love and your heart would be the greatest gift and treasure of my life. I want to know you, I want to have a life with you, a family. And I think it’s clear, even to me, that you don’t now return those feelings. But I have to know – could you ever?”

Sasuke didn’t know why this surprised him, but it did. She’d said she loved him in many ways over the years, despite the awful and cruel things he’d said or done in return. And yet, this latest, heartfelt confession surprised him. But he could read her intention this time – this was supposed to be the last time. Either he’d give her the answer she wanted, or he’d give her the answer she needed. And he really hoped he could successfully do that.

He took a single step closer, murmuring, “Sakura,” before pausing to determine how best to say what he needed to say. “Love is a dangerous emotion for an Uchiha, and I do not intend to involve myself with it, if I can help it.”

She frowned at that, confusion flashing through her eyes. “So, it’s not that you can’t, but you won’t.”

Sasuke nodded. “Something like that.” He was momentarily distracted by a flash of familiar chakra, but his curiosity over what Naruto was doing was derailed as Sakura shook her head quickly.

“I don’t understand. I thought it was your dream to revive your clan.”

He sighed, thinking back to the angry dreams of a barely graduated genin. “Revive doesn’t necessarily mean rebuild, nor does it necessarily have anything to do with love. But, yes, that was my dream. But dreams can change, they can fade, they can die. And that one has.” 

She flinched at that and brought her clenched hands up against her chest. “Well, what are your new dreams? Are they completely devoid of love? A family of your own?”

Sasuke frowned and was quiet for a moment. “An Uchiha has great capacity for love, but it is the root cause of the clan’s madness. I would just as soon spare myself and others any of that grief and pain and avoid passing it on to future generations.”

Sakura’s shoulders sagged, and Sasuke thought he finally got his point across. But just to make sure…

“Sakura,” he called, and she looked up hesitantly. “You’re right. It’s not that I can’t, but right now, I don’t. And I don’t want your future hopes and happiness to depend on me. I want to be done hurting people.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me, Sasuke-kun!” She took a step closer, her hand stretching out as if to grab onto him.

“I already have, Sakura, and many times,” he said forcefully, halting her hand from touching him. “And you may have forgiven me, but I know what kind of person I am – a leopard never changes its spots, as they say. So, be free of me, Sakura, and live your life.”

She let out a quiet sob, and tears finally fell down her cheeks. She brought her hands up to wipe them from her cheeks, and she looked at him with red, watery eyes. “I get it, Sasuke-kun, I think. I’ll… I’ll give up. But thank you for… for talking to me and…” She bit her lip and shook her head. “Can we… still be friends?”

He let a small, sad smile lift his lips. “Of course,” he said quietly. Sakura returned her own sad smile before crossing the space between them and pulling him into a hesitant hug. After a moment, Sasuke awkwardly returned the embrace.

Then he felt familiar chakra heading his way, and a small noise of feet against the concrete floor and a gasp announced Naruto’s arrival. He turned slightly, looking over his shoulder at the clone. Bushin-Naruto’s face was slack in shock, merely staring at him and Sakura. Sakura realized they were no longer alone and pulled away from him slightly, her arms still around his neck.

“Naruto?” she asked. Then, as if realizing how they were standing, she quickly released him and backed up a step. Sasuke used the opportunity to turn fully toward the clone.

“What do you want, moron?” Sasuke frowned, wondering why Naruto would send a clone after them.

The clone blinked before jumping slightly. “Oh! Um,” he stuttered and swallowed. “Sasuke, you gotta come! Fumiko-chan is being attacked, and we need your Rinnegan to negate the barrier!”

Sasuke had raced off at ‘Fumiko-chan is being attacked,’ the clone and Sakura quickly following, and he sped back to the open arena, only to be greeted by the sight of the large dome of a purple barrier. In the blink of an eye, he took in the six figures inside. And as he watched Fumiko’s sword pierce her own body, Sasuke formed Susanoo around his body and activated his Rinnegan to absorb the ninjutsu.

The barrier fizzled and collapsed, and he landed in the arena, his eyes immediately tracking the four assailants and their wounded accomplice. His first instinct was to run to Fumiko’s side, but his practicality immediately shoved that thought aside – leave the wounded to Tsunade and Sakura. He’d chase the bastards that had dared attack his family.

And if she died – gods help them all.

He pivoted on his right foot and launched himself in the direction they’d escaped. He was immediately surrounded by other shinobi, and the real Naruto was soon by his side, his toad sage mode activated, along with his clone. Sasuke’s anger pushed him forward, and he could feel his Mangekyou swirling to life, could feel the flames of Amaterasu trying to spring forth. 

“Calm down, Sasuke,” Naruto said. “We need to subdue them, not roast them to a crisp.” But even as the last word passed Naruto’s lips, the wounded assailant launched himself from his companion’s back and made to attack them, and Sasuke let the black flames consume him almost without conscious thought. “Well,” Naruto said after a moment, “At least there’s still four left.”

And then those four decided to engage. Two went after the random shinobi that had followed them, and the other two went after him and Naruto, separating them slightly to make it one on one rather than two on two. Naruto’s clone slipped off to help another group of shinobi, and Sasuke slowly let Susanoo fade away. Naruto was right – surprisingly; they needed to bring these bastards in alive in order to get answers and to ensure the threat to Fumiko – to _Uchiha_ – was neutralized.

The assailant before him brought up his hands, kunai held at the ready, and he charged Sasuke, making large attacks that Sasuke easily dodged. He parried a blow with a kunai of his own, and as his body turned into the strike, he pushed his hand forward and let the kunai go, continuing through the spin of his body and pulling his sword out to deliver another blow as the single rotation completed. The shinobi dodged, and he jumped back and surveyed Sasuke from a distance before engaging again in a similar manner.

Sasuke frowned as he dodged, parried, and the other dodged and backed off again. He wasn’t trying to outmaneuver the Sharingan, and Sasuke had a sense he wasn’t even trying to kill him. He was stalling. But for what purpose? He could easily find out with the Sharingan, but he had a feeling that mask could do more than just hide a face. He was Uchiha Sasuke, though, and had far more tricks up his sleeve than the Sharingan.

His eye locked on a small rock behind the enemy nin, and he used his Rinnegan to switch places with it, instantaneously gaining the other shinobi’s back, and he brought his sword up and around to sit against the other’s neck. “State your purpose,” he said lowly, a hard edge to his voice.

The shinobi said nothing, though Sasuke hadn’t expected him to. But Ibiki would get the man to talk. Just as his muscles tensed to deliver a knock-out blow, Sasuke was distracted by an explosion from one of the other small battles. He looked up and saw the real Naruto stagger to the side, momentarily letting down his guard and allowing the enemy nin to deck him on the chin. He went down hard, his body slamming into the earth, and Sasuke watched as his sage mode faded, leaving blue eyes blinking in pained confusion.

At that, the four assailants immediately disengaged from their fights, Sasuke’s captive slipping from under Sasuke’s distracted hold, and they scattered in an instant. Sasuke growled, trying to sense where they’d gone, but there wasn’t a single trace left, and he suddenly understood. They had been waiting for Naruto’s sage mode to disengage so that Naruto wouldn’t be able to trace their emotions or whatever it was that Naruto could do now in his sage mode.

Sasuke clicked his tongue in disgust and sheathed his sword. He threw a glare at Naruto. “What the hell, moron? Your distraction allowed them to get away!”

Naruto picked himself up from the ground and winced. “I… I’m sorry. My clone dispersed, and its memories… I…” He shook his head and refused to meet Sasuke’s eyes. “I’m going to find Kiba and see if Akamaru can get a scent of them off me. You should go check on Fumiko-chan.”

Sasuke studied Naruto for a moment, wondering what was wrong with him, but his urge to check on Fumiko overrode his desire to question the blond. “Fine. Come find me later.” He didn’t even give Naruto time to respond, just turned on his foot and headed back into the village proper in the direction of the hospital.

As he entered the building, a few people stared openly at him, but he ignored them as he briskly made his way to reception and gave the nurse there the least lethal glare he could muster. “Is Uchiha Fumiko here?”

“Yes, Uchiha-san, and Tsunade-sama has asked that we escort you to her immediately,” she said as she rounded the desk and led him to the stairs. They ascended quickly to the third floor, and the nurse led him to a private room. Without a word of thanks, he barged into the room and found Fumiko asleep on the bed, Tsunade leaning against the window sill with her arms crossed, and Kakashi sitting on the stool by the bed.

“Is she okay?” he asked without preamble, striding over to the bed to gaze down at his aunt. He vaguely heard the nurse shut the door behind him. His eyes roamed over Fumiko, noticing that she didn’t look any worse for wear – she wasn’t pale, her face wasn’t pinched in pain; she just looked like she was taking a nap.

“Well, she sure gave us a scare, but we have more questions than answers, I’m afraid.” Sasuke looked up at Tsunade with a frown. “The wound was easily mended. She skewered herself with her own sword during battle, and yet the damage was minimal. The blade just slipped through the tiniest bit of empty space. It’s either the luckiest wound that’s ever been received, or she knew exactly what she was doing.” Tsunade narrowed her eyes as her gaze slid to Fumiko. “And with the way her wound started healing on its own as soon as Hyuuga unblocked her chakra, I’m inclined to believe it’s the latter.”

“Tsunade’s just a little intrigued,” Kakashi spoke up, “Because Uchiha-san told us she wasn’t a healer.”

“She said she could heal, just that she wasn’t a healer,” Sasuke said, recalling the conversation.

Tsunade snorted. “I will admit, it was a slow healing, and it immediately stopped when Shizune and I began to administer aid. But it just supports my hunch that she’s hiding something about her skills.”

Sasuke scowled at that. “Why does that matter? Most people keep their skills and techniques close to the vest.”

“Sasuke,” Kakashi said quietly, drawing his attention from Tsunade. “You’re right. Shinobi often keep their skills a secret. And we’re not saying Uchiha-san should reveal them to the whole village. But you must understand… After Itachi, Obito, Madara… you… another Uchiha with an unknown threat factor is not the ideal situation for your clan.”

Sasuke kept himself from responding spitefully. He knew what Kakashi was trying to say – that it was grounds for those who still resented the Uchiha clan to call for leashes, like his proposed marriage.

“Is there anything you know or have noticed that can help us out, Sasuke?” Kakashi asked. 

Sasuke frowned as he looked down at Fumiko again. It felt too much like betrayal to tell them anything he knew about her, but keeping quiet could be used against him since he was still on probation, could be used against _them_ by the gods damned Elders. And he knew that Fumiko would want him to do what kept him safe, so with a frustrated grunt he began to think back on every interaction they’d had.

“She is an iaijutsu master, meaning she uses the sheath of her sword to draw quicker. This skill means that, even if she attacks second, her blow can land first.” Tsunade’s eyes widened slightly at that, but Kakashi made no sign that it was new information. “She uses katon, doton, and fuuton. I don’t know if she can use suiton, but she has said that she can’t use raiton. And the other day, when I… had an anxiety attack of some sort, she placed her hand on my chest and calmed my breathing and heart rate. She said she’d… felt it racing from the other room. It felt like medical ninjutsu, but her hands didn’t glow. When I asked if she was a healer, she answered… that she’d studied anatomy and physiology and used it to suit her needs.”

Both he and Kakashi looked at Tsunade as she pushed off the window sill and moved over to the bed. “That would explain how she could stab herself and not cause too much damage. She knew right where to put the blade. It may also explain the rudimentary healing. Though, usually if you’re not a trained healer, you have to weave signs to heal.”

Sasuke tensed at that, and he tried to immediately relax. But Kakashi was as eagle-eyed as ever, even without the Sharingan, and called him out with a casual, “Something the matter, Sasuke? Something you want to share?”

“Not really,” he said with gritted teeth.

“Do it anyway.”

He pressed his lips together, debating whether he should tell them, but he ultimately confessed, “She can perform jutsu without weaving signs.”

Tsunade and Kakashi stared at him in disbelief, and then Tsunade said, “That’s not possible. Even my grandfather had to weave signs.”

Sasuke scoffed. “Naruto and I can perform jutsu one-handed. And so could Itachi. If you remind yourself of the purpose of the signs, it’s possible to perform jutsu without them.”

Tsunade and Kakashi glanced at each other, and Kakashi sat up straighter and said, “If we believe that she can do so, I would have to guess that it’s something she’s been working on for decades. My next question would be – what would compel her to do so?”

The silence settled between them, and it was broken when Fumiko suddenly said, “If you think about it long enough, you’ll figure it out, Kakashi of the Sharingan.”

All three of them jumped slightly as Fumiko sat up and leaned back against her pillows.

“Uchiha-san!” Tsunade said as she flitted her eyes over her body. “What’s going on? You showed no signs of consciousness.”

“As I intended. Didn’t Sasuke just finish telling you that I regulated his breathing and heart rate? What makes you think I can’t do so on myself?” Fumiko looked over at Sasuke and smiled. “Don’t feel bad about saying anything, Sasuke. They’d have figured it out sooner or later.”

“Yes, well, we’ll just ask you now, Uchiha-san,” Tsunade said. “Just what are you? We’re aware that the Uchiha clan is full of talented individuals, but this seems-”

“ _Was_ full of talented individuals, Godaime-sama,” Fumiko interrupted quietly but harshly. “But it is not above anyone with refined chakra control to perform jutsu without hand signs.”

“Yes, we can see where it’s possible, Uchiha-san,” Kakashi jumped in as Tsunade’s eyes narrowed. “But we’re only questioning why someone would teach themselves to do it without ample motivation. It seems like it would require harsh and draining discipline.”

Fumiko remained silent, but Sasuke’s mind was working against his will, pulling up subconscious observations and throwing them into a pile in his mind to sort through – Fumiko stating she was against his father’s plan and that she wouldn’t let either him or Itachi go through with their actions; Fumiko telling him and Naruto that no one teaches shinobi how to fight without looking at their enemy; Fumiko calling Kakashi ‘Kakashi of the Sharingan’ rather than ‘Hokage-sama’ – and coming up with-

“You learned how to perform jutsu without hand signs so you could fight against the Sharingan,” he said, his eyes trained on his aunt.

Both Kakashi and Tsunade turned their eyes on him, and after a moment, so did Fumiko with a quiet, “Yes.” Then she let out a deep sigh, and Sasuke thought he saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. 

“Yes,” she said louder. “Fugaku and the clan elders were not circumspect in their plans – at least not within Uchiha grounds. As I have already told you, Sasuke – I did not agree with their plans. So, I began preparing a counter for when it went down. But before anything happened…”

She trailed off and Sasuke said, “You went on that mission, and then you left Konoha.”

“Can you imagine what I felt,” she said, her eyes averted to the window, “When I found out that the entire clan had been obliterated after all the planning and training I had done to prevent conflict? And the irony of it all was that I wasn’t here because of my ill-conceived attempt to protect the clan.” She laughed quietly but bitterly.

“What are you talking about?” Tsunade asked.

Fumiko didn’t answer for a long while. Then she said, “While in captivity, I was repeatedly raped by Iwa shinobi with the expressed intent to father a child in order to obtain the Sharingan. So, drugged out of my mind, I used my chakra to do – what I later learned was – irreparable damage to my reproductive organs. Anything to keep the Sharingan out of enemy hands. But Father learned that I could no longer bear children and disowned me. The shame and ridicule drove me from Konoha, and so I wasn’t here to prevent what happened.”

It was so blunt – Sasuke was stricken by the understated horror of her story, and he could tell without looking that Tsunade and Kakashi were, as well. Fumiko’s face was still turned, but he saw traces of those tears down the one cheek he could see. But he was also stricken by the thought that she had been _training_ to stop the clan. When she’d apologized for not preventing the massacre all those nights ago, she’d been _sincere_.

“You were serious,” he said to her, and she turned to face him.

She smiled sadly as she shrugged. “Yes, I was. Even Itachi, gifted as he was, couldn’t defend against an attack he literally couldn’t see.” She reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “And had Sakura-san not blocked my chakra, those attackers wouldn’t have stood a chance.” She looked over at Kakashi. “Hokage-sama, have they been apprehended?”

Kakashi looked at him, and Sasuke shrugged. “They managed to get away, but Naruto was going to follow up.”

“They got away from _you_?” Tsunade asked.

Sasuke’s lip curled up in a silent snarl. “The moron distracted me.”

“Well, we’ll get them,” Kakashi said as he stood. “Sai has an idea who they are. They have more than likely gone to ground, but Sai will root them out.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly at Kakashi’s veiled intel before they narrowed in anger. _ROOT, huh?_ That gods damned Danzo was still causing him problems from beyond the grave.

“Well, Uchiha-san,” Kakashi said as he walked toward the door, Tsunade behind him, “Please get plenty of rest and get well soon. I need my jounin in working order.”

Fumiko’s eyes widened. “Jounin?”

Kakashi looked over his shoulder, his eyes crinkled with a smile. “If you have the ability to kill me where you sit, without even lifting a finger, I think you’ve earned that rank. Hell, it’s probably worth ANBU Captain, if you were interested.” With that, he left. Tsunade gave them one last look before she, too, left.

After a moment, Sasuke slowly took the stool next to the bed and cleared his throat. “Are you okay, oba-san?”

“I’m just fine, Sasuke,” she said with a smile. “That wasn’t the first time I’ve done that.”

Sasuke wanted to ask why she’d had to do that before but decided against it. But after a moment, he did say, “I don’t blame you for leaving, you know.” He didn’t look at her, but he felt her shifting on the bed. He laughed humorlessly. “The Uchiha, apparently, have a long history of leaving the clan – Madara, Obito, you. Me.” He paused and shifted on the stool. “If I think about it, you were willing to put yourself in the same position as Itachi. Maybe not with the village, but against the clan. And knowing what it did to Itachi to do what he did, I’m almost… relieved that you didn’t have to face that fate.”

“Sasuke,” she said quietly, and he jumped slightly when her hand curled around his.

He turned his head away to hide his face. “I forgive you, if you need me to.”

“Uchiha Sasuke,” she said with some force, and he reluctantly turned his face toward her. “Why are you forgiving me?”

He looked into her eyes a long moment. “Because… I can, and because I want to. And I don’t think you should feel guilty about it anymore.”

Fumiko smiled at him. “And what did I tell you about forgiving me?”

He searched his memory. “That I should be prepared to forgive myself.”

“And do you?”

He shook his head. “I don’t-”

“Hush,” she commanded. “You listen to me right now. You’ve absolved me of my sins, and you’ve absolved Itachi of his. Why can’t you absolve yourself of yours?” He remained silent, so she eventually said, “You weren’t wrong, you know.”

“What?” he asked, startled.

“If we look at everything you did, what seems irredeemable to most is when you began your campaign against Konoha – when you targeted Shimura and every single person that directly or indirectly guided the events that unfolded with our clan. And you weren’t wrong.”

She looked down at their joined hands and flipped his palm-up, running her thumb along the skin. “Do you understand the point of pruning?”

“Pruning?” he repeated dumbly.

“Pruning is the act of targeted removal of diseased or otherwise unwanted tissue from plants for the express purpose of keeping the plants healthy and giving them the opportunity to increase their yield. If we apply the metaphor to a government… You weren’t wrong.”

Sasuke stared at her wide-eyed, unbelieving that she was saying that to him.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Sasuke. Wanting to kill the Elders and Shimura is understandable, but it’s not a solution. Merely killing them makes them _martyrs_. Wanting to kill the civilians of Konoha, who have no earthly idea what goes on with the shinobi, is extreme. Killing them is insanity. But holding people _accountable_ and revolutionizing the system will yield the desired results.”

Sasuke shook his head. “That’s Naruto’s-”

“That’s Naruto’s goal, yes,” she interrupted. “But it’s your goal, too. Don’t think it isn’t. You want the Elders to pay, and you want the citizens of Konoha to know what the Elders have wrought. You haven’t lost, you weren’t wrong. You just have to find a different path to your goal.”

She dropped his hand and pressed both hands against his cheeks. “Don’t wallow in the past, my little prince; learn from it. Allow your mistakes and successes to enlighten you equally.”

He didn’t know why, but he felt his heart racing. Perhaps it was because no one had ever been on his side like this, not even Itachi, really. Practically every shinobi in the Five Nations – and even those in the smaller ones – had told him in some way that what he did was wrong. Even Naruto – not in so many words, but he would say things that implied Sasuke was forgiven for his wrongdoings. And Itachi – well, he said no matter what Sasuke chose to do, he’d still love him, but didn’t that imply there was a chance Sasuke would chose to do something Itachi considered wrong? 

But Fumiko – she was _validating_ him to an extent. Sasuke had the right _idea_ , just not the right _execution_. And she was… encouraging him?

“So, will you forgive yourself, Sasuke, and allow others to forgive you?”

He lowered his eyes, feeling like a small child his aunt had to bargain with to get to behave. But it wasn’t altogether a bad feeling, just something he hadn’t experienced for a long time. He shrugged.

Fumiko laughed as she said, “At least promise to try.”

He lifted his eyes to her face and allowed his lip to curl with a small smile. “I promise.”

“Good boy,” she said as she released his face. She leaned back against the bed and let out a sigh.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke hesitantly asked, “How would I go about… it?”

“Hm?” She turned to look at him. “What?”

Sasuke swallowed. “Well, Naruto is going to work on making it so that it never happens again. But I think he’s thinking more about how to keep everyone happy so that the situation never arises. How would I go about… making people aware of what happened?” Because after a year of soul-searching, to some degree, that’s what really ate at him the most – that _no one_ knew what happened, that Itachi hadn’t _wanted them to know_. Sasuke didn’t like either of those facts.

Fumiko smiled at him, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Oh, dear boy. You leave that to me.”

Sasuke found himself suppressing a shiver; her voice had rolled over him with an ominous similarity to Orochimaru’s whispers. He could only wonder at what secrets she kept to herself after all he had already learned.

He nodded, forgoing asking her any questions. For now.

~*~

Akamaru hadn’t found a single trace of the attackers anywhere on Naruto, and he was currently heading back into the village proper mulling over that he had fucked up and lost Fumiko’s assailants.

Naruto had fucked up a lot in his life, and each time it felt like the end of the world. But this time, not only had he allowed Fumiko’s attackers to get away, he had his clone’s memories running on repeat in his mind, showing him Sakura and Sasuke in each other’s arms, and it _hurt_.

He knew _why_ it hurt – he may have just realized that he liked Sasuke, but seeing that Sasuke liked someone else was a little painful. But the level of hurt he felt seemed oddly high for just having a crush or something. So, to feel this bad about it, he was scared that his feelings ran deeper than just ‘like,’ and if that were the case, well… 

Naruto didn’t even know how to complete that thought. He was so hurt and confused, on top of being disappointed in himself. And there was no one he could really talk to about all of this. 

He stopped walking, hands shoved into his pockets, and stared unseeingly at the ground. Then he looked up and saw Ichiraku in front of him. After a moment, he walked in, hoping at least a bowl or four of ramen would make him feel less like a failure.

He looked around at the empty restaurant, save one lone chuunin on a stool at the bar – one lone chuunin with a familiar ponytail of brunet hair.

“Iruka-sensei!” he said, and he made his way to the bar as Iruka turned around. He hadn’t seen the man in a while, and a small pang of guilt hit him when he thought of how much time he’d been spending with Fumiko instead of his sensei.

“Naruto!” Iruka greeted with a smile. But he must have seen something in Naruto’s face, because his smile fell into a thoughtful frown. “Is something wrong?”

Naruto sat at the bar and greeted Teuchi, who had automatically begun to make Naruto’s usual order. Naruto shrugged as he turned his attention back to Iruka. “Nothing. Just,” he sighed. “You heard about what happened at the Jounin Exam?”

“I was there, Naruto,” Iruka said with a raised brow. He raised his chopsticks in the air and motioned around them. “A village-wide announcement went out that there was no attack on the village, but until everything is settled, everyone should remain at home.” He turned a raised brow to Teuchi’s back. “I can only wonder why not everyone paid heed.”

Teuchi turned with Naruto’s bowl and said, “There will inevitably be those who don’t adhere and will need something to eat.” He looked pointedly at Iruka’s bowl.

Iruka blushed and mumbled something before turning back to Naruto. “So, what’s wrong?”

Naruto sighed as he dipped his chopsticks into the ramen. “I let Fumiko-chan’s attackers get away.”

“I’m sure that’s not true, Naruto.”

“No, it is!” he said harshly. Silence settled between them, and then Naruto said, “I was distracted. I got hit, disoriented, and they got away.”

Iruka laid his hand on Naruto’s back. “It’s okay, Naruto. That can happen in any battle. And I’m sure they’ll be caught. Hokage-sama won’t let an attack like this go.” He could feel Iruka’s stare as he ate a few mouthfuls of ramen, and then Iruka removed his hand from his back and asked, “Is that really all that’s bothering you?”

Naruto bit his lip, his eyes flitting up to Teuchi before settling on his ramen. He saw Iruka make a subtle movement from the corner of his eye, and then Teuchi was announcing that he had something to do in the back.

“You know you can tell me anything, Naruto,” Iruka said softly. “So, what’s wrong?”

Naruto let out an explosive sigh and let his chopsticks drop into his bowl. He leaned his elbows on the bar and covered his eyes with his hands. The vision of Sasuke and Sakura embracing filled his mind, and he grunted. “When Fumiko-chan was attacked, I sent a clone to find Sasuke. Then, when we were fighting them, my clone was destroyed, and its memories came back to me.”

“Is that what distracted you?” Iruka asked. Naruto nodded into his hands. “What did you see?”

Iruka’s voice was gentle, and Naruto let out a shaky breath. “Sasuke went off after Sakura-chan when she left the arena. And my clone found Sasuke, and he and Sakura-chan were… hugging.”

“Ah,” Iruka said. “Well, she had just lost her match. You don’t suppose it was a friendly hug to comfort her?”

It was still so vivid in his mind. He saw Sakura’s arms around Sasuke’s neck and Sasuke’s arm around her waist. It didn’t look friendly at all. It looked intimate.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It looked… different than a normal hug.”

Iruka was quiet a moment, and then he sighed. “I’m sorry, Naruto. I know you’ve liked Sakura for a long time, but-”

Naruto began to laugh, the sound harsh as it interrupted Iruka. He pulled his hands away from his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, hoping the tears he could feel stinging his eyes didn’t fall. “I know how much Sakura-chan loves Sasuke, Iruka-sensei. I think it was kind of inevitable.” He looked back down at his bowl, at the bloated noodles congealing in the broth. “But I never thought Sasuke would…” He trailed off, biting his lip again.

“Naruto?”

Naruto inhaled sharply, his lip quivering as he contemplated what he should say to Iruka’s unasked question. There were many reasons why he should just shut his mouth and let Iruka think what he would, rejection being at the top of the list. But Iruka was his very first precious person, and not sharing all of himself felt like lying.

He lowered his head more, allowing his fringe to cover his eyes. “I wasn’t upset that Sasuke was hugging her,” he said. “I… was upset… _am_ upset that Sasuke was hugging… _anyone_.”

“Oh,” Iruka said after a moment. “Well, I’m sorry. I’m sure that was… hard to see.” Another moment of silence passed before Iruka said lightly, “So, you like Sasuke, huh?”

Naruto slowly raised his head to look at Iruka, who was smiling softly at him. Unable to say anything, the lump in his throat unyielding, he nodded.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, Naruto. Were you scared to tell me?” At Naruto’s small nod, he laughed gently. “Yeah, I guess it would be scary. But I don’t think any differently about you, Naruto. You’re still you, and who you like romantically will never take away from that.”

“But not everyone is like you, Iruka-sensei,” he said quietly.

“No, they aren’t,” Iruka agreed. “There may be people who won’t understand your feelings. But I don’t think your friends will mind. You’ve surrounded yourself with very good people, Naruto.”

Naruto finally let a small smile flit over his lips. “Thank you, Iruka-sensei.”

“You’re welcome, Naruto.” He smiled wide at him. “Now, how about you tell me again? Say it out loud.”

“Why?” Naruto asked, wide-eyed, his heart beginning to race. 

“To build confidence!” Iruka placed his hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Don’t shy away from it, and it’ll get easier.”

Naruto furrowed his brows. “I like Sasuke?”

“Okay, how about a statement this time?”

Naruto huffed out a laugh. “I like Sasuke,” he repeated quietly.

“Louder.”

Naruto cleared his throat. “I like Sasuke,” he said loudly, almost confidently.

A gasp from the entrance had them both turning around, and Naruto felt his heart sink into his stomach as he took in Sakura’s stricken look, her hands lifeless by her sides as she stared at him in shock.

“Sakura-chan,” he murmured, too scared to move.

“You like Sasuke?” she said, her voice high-pitched in disbelief. “But you can’t! You can’t like him!” Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and tears gathered in her eyes. “You can’t take Sasuke-kun away from me!”

Naruto reared back, like he’d been physically assaulted by her fists. “I would never,” he began, but Sakura whirled around and ran from the restaurant.

Naruto’s heart was no longer in his stomach. It felt like it had been torn from his chest and tossed on the floor. Sakura was one of his dearest friends, and if she reacted like that, what was he supposed to do?

“I’m sorry, Naruto,” Iruka said, gently laying a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “I’m sorry it happened that way. She’s in shock.”

“She hates me,” he said, tears threatening to fall.

“I’m sure she doesn’t. I don’t know what’s going on between her and Sasuke, but whatever it is, it’s new and fragile, and she’s insecure. She’ll calm down and be the friend you know.”

“You think?” he asked. After Iruka’s affirmative, he asked, “What do I do until then?”

Iruka’s hand moved from his shoulder to wrap around him in an affectionate hug. “You get yourself a support system, I guess. You have me. I’m sure there are others that will understand and support you, too.”

Naruto hummed. Fumiko had said she’d always be on his side, and he needed to tell her anyway. He’d made a promise to do so, and he never went back on his word. Then there was Hinata, who’d wanted to be his friend. Like, not that she wasn’t already, but he guessed she meant she wanted to be a support, like Iruka was suggesting.

“And eventually things will get better,” Iruka continued. “So, how about we call Teuchi back out and get you a new bowl of ramen, ne?”

Naruto laughed and reached up to wipe his eyes. “Sure.” Iruka called Teuchi out, and they talked about nothing as the old man made another bowl for Naruto. When it was sat in front of him, Naruto muttered a quiet thank you and then said a little louder, “Thank you, Iruka-sensei.”

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now - don't misunderstand. Sakura is not meant to be a bad guy, nor am I going to bash her in any way. But this is a coming of age sort of story, and sometimes you have to be a little immature and then realize you've been immature before you can be mature. You know?
> 
> Anyway - more stuff revealed about Fumiko, and there's still more to come. Fufufu And poor Naruto, being caught up in a horrid "misunderstanding" trope. LOL 
> 
> Again, sorry this took so long, but I hope you enjoyed it.


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